Excessive workload: - Ontario Nurses' Association

ONA 

The magazine for 

members of the Ontario 

Nurses’ Association 

Summer 2004 VOL 31 NO 3 

www.ona.org 

VISION FEATURE: 

Excessive 

workload: 

ONA members 

speak out 

What’s new with bargaining p. 12 

ONTARIO NURSES’ ASSOCIATION 1

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL ONA MEMBERS 

HOW TO... 

…file a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claim 

If you believe an accident, injury, illness 

or onset of pain is work-related, you must 

immediately: 

• report it to your employer. 

• complete an employer Incident Report. 

• have the employer complete a Form 7 

(“Employer’s Report of Injury/Disease”). 

• sign the Form 7 or a Form 1492 

(available from your employer). 

• seek medical attention. 

• report your injury to your health 

professional and have her/him complete a 

Form 8 (“Health Professional’s Report”). 

• inform a co-worker or witness. 

If you do not get a copy of your signed Form 

7 or Form 1492 or have any problems with 

the above: 

• contact the WSIB in writing immediately, 

reporting your injury. 

• contact your Local ONA representative. 

HOW TO... 

…contact your ONA Board of Directors 

For accidents on or after January 1, 1998 there 

is a six-month time limit for filing claims with 

the WSIB and claims will only be accepted after 

the six months in exceptional circumstances. 

Claims with accident dates prior to January 

1, 1998 are exempted from the application of 

the six-month time limit on filing a claim. 

You have a right under the law to report any 

workplace accident or injury and cannot be 

told by anyone that you cannot file a claim. 

You have the right to be treated by your own 

health care professional. This could be your 

family physician, chiropractor, RN extended 

class, physiotherapist or dentist. You make 

your first choice of health professional when 

you accept treatment after the initial or 

emergency treatment. Once the initial choice 

is made, you are not permitted to change 

to another health professional without the 

Call ONA at 1-800-387-5580 (toll-free) or (416) 964-1979 in Toronto and follow the operator’s 

prompts to access board members’ voice-mail. Voice-mail numbers (VM) for Board members in 

the Toronto office are listed below. 

HOW TO... 

…file a WSIB appeal 

Injured workers and employers have the 

right to appeal all decisions of the Workplace 

Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). 

ONA represents members before the 

WSIB if they meet all of the criteria. Your 

Labour Relations Officer can explain what 

the criteria are for representation. If you 

want ONA to act on your behalf, you 

should immediately contact your local ONA 

representative and ensure you are referred 

to the appropriate Labour Relations Officer 

within ONA’s notification time limits. 

Members who receive an adverse written 

WSIB decision and want ONA to represent 

them on appeal must notify the Labour 

Relations Officer within ONA’s time limits. 

These time limits are: 

• within one week of the date of the adverse 

WSIB decision if it is a 30-day appeal. 

• within four weeks of the date of the 

adverse WSIB decision if it is a six-month 

appeal. 

Also, you should contact ONA immediately 

if you are advised of an employer appeal. If 

you want ONA to represent you: 

• Do not verbally, in writing or on any form 

object to a WSIB decision. 

• Do not set any meeting or hearing dates. 

• Do not request access to your WSIB files. 

HOW TO... 

…file a LTD appeal 

Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN 

President, VM #2254 

Communications & 

Public Relations 

Susan Prettejohn, RN 

First VP, VM #2314 

Political Action & 

Professional Issues 

Diane Parker, RN 

VP Region 1, VM #7710 

Occupational Health & 

Safety 

Nancy Finnegan, RN 


Finance 

ONA members whose long-term disability 

(LTD) benefit claims are initially denied, or are 

terminated after a period of benefit payments, 

are entitled to appeal the insurer’s decision. 

ONA will assist you with that appeal. 

Andy Summers, RN 


Human Rights & Equity 

Joy Widawski, RN 


Education 

Jeanne Soden, RN 


Labour Relations 

Lesley Bell, RN 

Chief Executive Officer, 

VM #2255 

Please note: Most insurance companies have 

a time limit for filing the appeal. It is extremely 

important that you notify your Bargaining 

Unit Rep/Labour Relations Officer that you 

want to appeal the denial/termination of LTD 

benefits as soon as you receive notification 

of denial/termination from the insurance 

company. Members have had their appeals 

denied because they did not meet the time 

limits, despite the merits of their claim. 

2 VISION, SUMMER 2004

The magazine for 

members of the Ontario 

Nurses’ Association 


www.ona.org 

ONA 

The magazine for members of the 

Ontario Nurses’ Association 


The Ontario Nurses’ Association is the Union representing 

approximately 49,000 registered staff nurses and allied 

health-care professionals. Vision is published four times 

yearly by ONA, and is distributed to all members. We 

welcome submissions from members and will endeavour to 

print as many as possible, within our space limitations. 

Copyright © 2004. Ontario Nurses’ Association 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced 

or transmitted in any form or by any means, including 

electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or by any 

information storage or retrieval system, without permission 

in writing from the publisher. 

ISSN: 0834-9088 

Editor: Melanie Levenson 

Contributors to this issue: Peter Birt, Johanna Brand, Erna 

Bujna, Ruth Featherstone, Rozanna Haynes, Paula Joseph, 

Melanie Levenson, Mariana Markovic, Enid Mitchell, David 

Nicholson, George Rejminiak, Karen Rheault, Shalom 

Schachter, Lawrence Walter. 

Graphic production: Artifact graphic design 

Printed by union labour: Thistle Printing Limited 

Send submissions to: Melanie Levenson 

(melaniel@mail.ona.org) 

ONA Head Office 

85 Grenville St., Ste., 400, Toronto ON M5S 3A2 

TEL: (416) 964-8833 TOLL FREE: 1-800-387-5580 

FAX: (416) 964-8864 EMAIL: onamail@mail.ona.org 

www.ona.org 

ONA Regional Offices 

Hamilton 

393 Rymal Rd. W., Ste. 205, Hamilton ON L9B 1V2 

TEL: (905) 383-3341 FAX: (905) 574-0933 

Kingston 

4 Cataraqui St., Ste. 306, Kingston ON K7K 1Z7 

TEL: (613) 545-1110 FAX: (613) 531-9043 

London 

750 Baseline Rd. E., Ste, 204, London ON N6C 2R5 

TEL: (519) 438-2153 FAX: (519) 433-2050 

Orillia 

210 Memorial Ave., Unit 126A, Orillia ON L3V 7V1 

TEL: (705) 327-0404 FAX: (705) 327-0511 

Ottawa 

1400 Clyde Ave., Ste, 211, Nepean ON K2G 3J2 

TEL: (613) 226-3733 FAX: (613) 723-0947 

Sudbury 

760 Notre Dame Ave., Unit 1, Sudbury ON P3A 2T3 

TEL: (705) 560-2610 FAX: (705) 560-1411 

Thunder Bay 

#214, Woodgate Centre, 1139 Alloy Dr. 

Thunder Bay ON P7B 6M8 

TEL: (807) 344-9115 FAX: (807) 344-8850 

Timmins 

707 Ross Ave. E., Ste., 110A, Timmins ON P4N 8R1 

(705) 264-2294 FAX: (705) 268-4355 

Windsor 

3155 Howard Ave., Ste. 220, Windsor ON N8X 3Y9 

TEL: (519) 966-6350 FAX: (519) 972-0814 

In this issue… 

How to…WSIB claims/WSIB appeals/LTD appeals/ ONA Board . . . . . . . . . . 2 

ONA Members Across Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Televote 2004/Télévote 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

A message from ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

A message from ONA’s CEO Lesley Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Un mot de la Présidente Linda Haslam-Stroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Message de la directrice générale Lesley Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Collective bargaining update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

How bargaining in the Hospital Sector works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

VISION FEATURE 

EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD: 

ONA members speak out 

PAGE 14 

What dues do for you 

PAGE 19 

Professor Tania Das Gupta: Racism negatively impacts nurses at work . . . . 20 

Ceiling lifts safer alternative for moving patients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

ONA Education: developing skills and leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Navigating the ONA Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

A message from ONA First Vice-President Susan Prettejohn . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

Important notice about dual dues refunds PAGE 25 

Awards and Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

ONA Retirees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

ONA VISION STATEMENT 

The Ontario Nurses’ Association is a membership driven, 

proactive union sensitive and responsive to the ever-changing 

needs in an evolving health care system. 

Dedicated to providing an environment conducive to 

learning and personal growth with acknowledgement of 

diversity and creativity. 

Maintains mutual trust, respect, support and understanding 

throughout the organization. 

Advocates a high quality, efficient health care system, sharing 

in partnership with communities, consumers and health 

care professionals. 

C 

ONA 

VISION FEATURE: 

Excessive 

workload: 

ONA members 

speak out 

What’s new with bargaining p. 12 

ONTARIO NURSES’ ASSOCIATION 1 

Cover illustration by Steve Yeates 

CORRECTION - On the cover of ONA Vision, Spring 2004, 

and elsewhere in the magazine, photographs appeared to 

illustrate the feature about sharps and needlestick injuries. 

As the caption on page three indicated, the photography 

set-up was constructed to show a patient and a nurse. 

No real medications were used; no actual insertion took 

place. Universal precautions should be used, and therefore 

gloves should have been worn in this photo, whether for an 

illustration or actual IV insertion. We apologize to members 

for this error. 


ONA MEMBERS ACROSS ONTARIO 

Local 42’s Suzanne Lefebvre: Helping with another 

kind of delivery 

For Local 42 Coordinator Suzanne 

Lefebvre, RN, a Labour and Delivery nurse 

at Hawkesbury General Hospital, winning a 

recent Bill 136 vote in Cornwall was akin to 

having a baby. 

“Preparing for the vote had been an 

exhausting, stressful and nerve-wracking 

experience,” she said. “In the end, after lots 

of waiting, there it was – a baby was born!” 

For Lefebvre, the labour began last fall after 

the Cornwall General Hospital, ONA Local 

42, and Hotel Dieu Hospital, represented by 

the Ontario Public Service Employees Union 

(OPSEU), merged to form the Cornwall Community 

Hospital. As a result, a Bill 136 vote 

was called to determine which union would 

represent the nurses at both sites. 

Since that time Lefebvre, and her core group, 

consisting of Bargaining Unit President Wendy 

Watson, RN, Vice-President Shelly White, RN, 

and other ONA members and staff, worked 

tirelessly to ensure a successful outcome. 

“Wendy and Shelly really ran the show,” 

she said. “I just let them know that I was 

here if they needed anything.” 

Lefebvre and the core group handed out 

material on the benefits of ONA membership, 

held information sessions and meetings 

to answer questions and quell concerns 

during an understandably unsettling time, 

and encouraged members to vote. They even 

offered carpooling and babysitting services 

to facilitate the process. 

The hard work paid off as ONA was 

announced the winner, retaining 160 members 

and gaining another 161. 

“I am proud of the way we conducted 

ourselves throughout this process,” she 

said. “We never once badmouthed the other 

union. There’s no question that having a 

good core group, being well prepared and 

communicating with members on a regular 

basis was the key to our success.” 

While Lefebvre believes this was a once-ina-lifetime 

experience because she was able to 

see another part of union work – campaigning 

– she admits the most difficult part has 

been dealing with initial feelings of apprehension 

from the OPSEU nurses. 

“The next step in this process is bringing 

those nurses on board,” she added. “For a 

long time it has been ‘we’ and ‘they,’ and we 

want it to be just ‘us.’” 

ONA members on the move! 

Glenna Rowsell bursaries awarded 

to five members 

The successful candidates for the 2004 

Glenna Rowsell Bursary, which provides 

$1,000 each to ONA members who are 

enrolled in a labour-related education program 

or course, are as follows: 

• Joyce Telford, Local 82 

• Patti Lalla, Local 82 

• Shirley Cooper, Local 7 

• Marianne Fletcher, Local 71 

• Myra Henderson, Local 2 

ONA congratulates these members and 

thanks everyone who took the time to 

submit an application. 

New CNO Council and Committee members 

ONA extends congratulations to the members 

who were elected to the College of 

Nurses of Ontario Council and Committee 

for 2004-2005. 

Council 

• Central: Jim Attwood 

• Central Eastern: Marilyn Lambert 

• Central West: Cheryl Beemer 

• Metro Toronto: Marcia Taylor 

• North Western: Rob Rupert (ONA 

Staff) 

Committee 

• Central: Sheila Pendock, Alison 

Comeau, Dennis Curry 

• Toronto: Sonia Malcolm, Julia Rock 

ONA members 

enjoy a moment 

of levity 

during the 

June Provincial 

Coordinators 

Meeting in 

Ottawa. 



To ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN 

I am writing to thank you personally for the flyer regarding 

the federal election campaign. 

In 1983, I accepted a position in an American health care forprofit 

institution, impressed by the state-of-the-art equipment 

and the fact that this was a teaching hospital connected to the 

university. 

My area of choice was a nine-bed Burn Intensive Care Unit 

(BICU) where patients would be treated for severe burns (65 

per cent TBSA and higher) providing they had insurance. I soon 

learned there were three bad sides to this coin: 

1. Extremely critical patients and occasionally entire families 

with horrific burns would make it to our facility but would 

not make it to our state-of-the-art BICU. They would be stabilized 

in emergency and airlifted to a Shriner’s Charitable 

Hospital, regardless of what effect this would have on their 

mortality rate. I call this the N3s (No Policy – No Treatment 

– No Exceptions). 

2. Non-viable patients with non-viable organs were kept on life 

support. If the patient had a good policy and the bed was empty, 

it made good sense to keep him or her in the bed and bill his or 

her insurance company for all of the blood products, nursing 

care, respirators, medications, dressings – you name it! 

3. Dangerous situations would develop, ie., if two RNs were bagging 

a patient to bring down the ICP, only a ward clerk would 

be remaining to monitor other patients’ critical blood values. 

In health care for-profit, nurses were accountants, support 

staff, RTS, anything for the bottom line. 

Conditions and morale were often so bad that much needed 

“flight nurses” on short-term contracts would go AWOL. This, 

in turn, would create an even more dangerous situation for 

nurses and paying customers alike. 

Taking all of this into account, I saw no benefit of privatization 

for anyone but the corporation running the hospital, and 

perhaps to some extent the insurance companies, and a government 

that doesn’t provide its tax-paying citizens their right to 

health care. 

Never has it been more 

I saw no benefit of 

important to be an advocate 

for public health care privatization for anyone 

than right now. I applaud 

but the corporation 

you! 

Our system, flaws and running the hospital, and 

all, still remains one of the 

perhaps to some extent the 

most admired in the world. 

Public-Private Partnership insurance companies, and 

hospitals will open the 

a government that doesn’t 

door for privatization and 

be the destruction of socialized 

medicine. 

provide its tax-paying citizens 

their right to health care. 

Sherry Nath, RN, Hamilton 

Day of Mourning … 

ONA held a sombre commemoration of workers who have been killed 

or injured on the job during a Day of Mourning event on April 28, 

2004 at ONA’s Toronto office building. The day’s events included the 

dedication of a memorial plaque, shown here being unveiled by ONA 

President Linda Haslam-Stroud. ONA’s Board of Directors and members 

were joined at the event by Toronto Mayor David Miller, Health 

Minister George Smitherman, Labour Minister Chris Bentley, and 

representatives from the Toronto Labour Council and other unions. 



Celebrating Nursing Week 2004 

Nurses from Shouldice 

Hospital, ONA Local 

16, enjoy flowers from 

the medical staff and a 

cake from management 

as part of their Nursing 

Week festivities. 

ONA Local 4 members from Grey-Bruce Health 

Services (Owen Sound site), stand beside a 

Nursing Week poster of “stick figure” nurse 

post-its, each with a staff nurse’s name. From 

left to right: Betty Gregg, Maureen Garforth 

(in back), Anita Bass, Diana Williamson, Sandy 

Simpson and Christine McArthur. 

Thunder Bay honours nurses 

From ONA 

with pride… 

Members show off ONA’s “rainbow banner” and the new Queer 

Registered Nurses (QRN) banner during the annual Toronto Pride 

Parade on June 27. The parade caps a week of activities, staged 

by Toronto’s gay and lesbian community. The ONA contingent 

was demonstrating the organization’s continued commitment 

to diversity, human rights and equity, and dignity and respect 

for all members. 

Thunder Bay nurses were honoured for 

excellence and dedication by the Thunder 

Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre during 

Nursing Week in May. The hospital also 

dedicated a tree to RNs. 

Registered nurse Sandra Maclean, 

mental health, received an RN Award of 

Excellence. Other award recipients included 

Carina Barrie, Sherry Lynn Hill and Joni 

Schnieders. 

ONA wins big at Leisure World: 

76 new members 

ONA has won the right to represent all 

nurses at six relatively new Leisure World 

nursing homes in Toronto. 

Due to a recent arbitration decision, ONA 

was included in the vote against the Service 

Employees International Union, which had 

represented all nurses at the homes. The 

nurses voted overwhelmingly in favour of 

ONA, and as a result, we welcome 76 new 

members. 

Congratulations to ONA members and 

staff who helped bring about this successful 

outcome! 


Televote 2004: 

Time to let your fingers do the voting! 

While this year’s televote for ONA 

provincial officers is still a few 

months away, we’d like to get 

you thinking about it now. 

The televote – or voting by telephone 

using a series of easy-to-follow prompts 

– takes place between 0001 on October 

26 and 2400 on November 1. You’ll be 

voting for the five regional Vice-Presidents 

only (the President and First Vice-President 

hold two-year mandates and are not up 

for election until 2005). 

Results will be available on November 2. 

This is the seventh year we have used the 

televote system. 

In September, all ONA members in good 

standing will receive an election package 

in the mail that includes information on 

the candidates, instructions on how to 

televote, a 1-800 number to access the 

system and a Personal Identification Number 

(PIN), which you must have to vote (no 

exceptions). 

All information will be contained in one 

small bilingual booklet. More detailed information 

will be posted on our Web site in 

the Members’ Section at www.ona.org. 

You can also leave a message on our televote 

hotline at (416) 964-8833 (in Toronto) 

or toll-free 1-800-387-5580, voice mail 

box #7748. If you are calling the toll-free 

line after hours, hit “0” immediately after 

dialing the number to be connected to our 

Toronto office. If your message requires a 

response, a staff member will do so within 

48 hours. 

Remember, tell a member, Televote! 

Télévote 2004 : 

L’heure est venue de vous servir de votre 

clavier téléphonique pour voter ! 

Bien que l’élection annuelle des dirigeantes 

provinciales de l’A.I.I.O par 

télévote n’est que dans quelques 

mois, nous vous encourageons à y penser 

dès maintenant. 

Le télévote – ou vote par téléphone doté 

d’instructions simples à suivre – débutera 

une minute après minuit le 26 octobre 

et se terminera à minuit le 1 er novembre 

2004, période au cours de laquelle cinq 

vice-présidentes régionales uniquement 

se feront élire (la présidente et première 

vice-présidente conservent leur mandat de 

deux ans, ce qui signifie que leurs postes 

ne seront pas soumis à des élections avant 

2005). Les résultats seront disponibles 

le 2 novembre. Cela fait désormais sept 

ans que nous utilisons le système de 

télévote. 

En septembre, tous les membres en règle 

de l’A.I.I.O. recevront un envoi postal comportant 

des informations sur les candidats, 

des instructions pour utiliser le système de 

télévote, un numéro 1-800 pour accéder à 

ce système et un numéro d’identification 

personnel (NIP), que vous devrez utiliser 

pour voter (sans exception). Cette année, 

l’envoi postal sera quelque peu différent : 

tous les renseignements seront regroupés 

dans un petit livret bilingue qui sera plus 

facile à utiliser et moins dispendieux que 

les formats des années précédentes. 

Des renseignements plus détaillés seront 

affichés dans la section des membres de 

notre site Web www.ona.org. 

Vous pouvez également laisser un message 

sur notre service d’assistance téléphonique 

pour le télévote en appelant le 416 964- 

8833 (à Toronto) ou la ligne sans frais 

1-800-387-5580, boîte vocale numéro 

7748 (si vous appelez la ligne sans frais 

après les heures de bureau, appuyez 

sur le « 0 » immédiatement après avoir 

composé le numéro pour être transféré 

à notre bureau de Toronto). Si votre message 

nécessite une réponse, un membre 

du personnel vous rappellera dans les 

48 heures. 

Et n’oubliez pas, parlez-en aux autres membres, télévotez ! 

7

President’s message 

Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN 

ONA President 

… you told us 

that your primary 

concerns were 

wages and benefits, 

pension, 

retirement and 

leave issues, job 

security and working 

conditions, 

particularly workload 

and staffing. 

Bargaining new collective agreements is 

the focus of activity at ONA now 

As the former Chair of the hospital sector bargaining 

team and now as your President, I will 

always work for improvements on your behalf because 

bargaining is my main concern. 

The context for this round of contract talks is provided 

by your needs and expectations, by a provincial government 

facing serious budget issues – including a multi-billion 

dollar deficit – and by the real need to find solutions 

to problems you face in the workplace. 

We entered bargaining knowing what your priorities 

are, thanks to the extensive research we conducted in 

2003. In the “Have a Say” questionnaire, you told us that 

your primary concerns were wages and benefits, pension, 

retirement and leave issues, job security and working 

conditions, particularly workload and staffing. (You will 

see that workload issues are the subject of our feature 

section in this issue.) 

We never discuss our specific proposals in public – 

that would weaken our position. But you can be assured 

that we take member research very seriously, and we are 

pursuing your priorities at the bargaining table. 

This is ONA’s10 th round of central hospital 

bargaining. 

It is the third time that we are using an interest-based 

bargaining (IBB) approach. IBB is a more cooperative, 

problem-solving process than traditional bargaining and 

it takes more time. We work with facilitators throughout. 

IBB is not a cure-all, but some problems do get resolved 

more quickly. We have been able to address issues the 

employer teams of the past were reluctant to even discuss, 

let alone come to some agreement on. 

So far, there have been three weeks of negotiations, 

with additional dates set for the end of September and 

early November. Local bargaining begins when the central 

agreement is settled. 

Negotiations are also underway in the long-term 

care sector. 

There has been one full week of bargaining for the nursing 

home central team. The two sides exchanged proposals 

and have set dates for at least three more weeks of 

negotiations in September and October. They will 

exchange local proposals by September 15. 

As always bargaining is the art of the possible. 

The provincial government has given hospitals average 

minimal increases. But the Ontario Hospital Association 

says this is less than half of what they will need to pay for 

current services and anticipated increases in patient volumes. 

The provincial government has also frozen the pay 

of its senior managers, which some labour leaders think 

is a strong signal of restraint for public sector unions. 

Elsewhere in Canada, bargaining has been a mixed 

bag for nurses. The British Columbia Nurses’ Union 

settled for the status quo on wages, benefits and time off 

provisions. The United Nurses of Alberta, meanwhile, 

achieved an increase of six per cent over the next two 

years. 

Here at home, we are working hard so that we can 

keep making the kind of gradual improvements that have 

made you the best-paid nurses in the country. 


CEO’s message 

Lesley Bell, RN 

ONA Chief Executive Officer 

We must continue 

the fight to ensure 

that professional 

regulated health 

care providers staff 

our system, and 

that there is 

improved access 

for all Canadians. 

The dust has settled on the federal election and we 

have a minority Liberal government in Ottawa 

It remains to be seen whether this government 

structure weakens Canada because of the inherent divisiveness 

of a non-majority administration, or whether 

the Liberals can work with other parties to develop consensus 

on key issues. 

If not, Canadians may find themselves back at the polls 

much sooner than they want, and more disturbing is the 

possibility that all progress on improving our national 

public health care system will cease and even revert 

back. 

One issue that cannot be derailed regardless of how 

things work out, is the issue of protecting and improving 

the Canada Health Act, specifically Medicare. 

The work started by the Roy Romanow Commission 

under the former majority Liberal government must not 

be allowed to sit on the shelves and gather dust. All parties 

must unite on the issue of health care in Canada, 

ensuring that Medicare stays intact and is, in fact, 

strengthened. 

Specifically, our national public system must stay public 

and not be turned into a profit-making enterprise for 

private interests through the backdoor of a minority government. 

We must continue the fight to ensure that 

professional regulated health care providers staff our 

system, and that there is improved access for all 

Canadians. 

As front-line care providers, Ontario nurses and allied 

health professionals have experienced an ongoing crisis 

in our health care system in this province, whether it’s in 

overflowing emergency departments, underfunding of 

long-term care, rationed home care in the community or 

a lack of public health nurses. 

We believe that funding cuts to health care and a lack 

of vision and planning have led to unhealthy and dangerous 

work environments for patients and their nurses and 

other professional care providers. 

As a result, there is a worsening nursing shortage that 

has impacted on our health care system in every sector. 

It is harder and harder to keep our highly skilled, experienced 

nurses working in Ontario, to bring back those 

who have left, and to attract new graduates. 

Resolving the nursing shortage is part and parcel to 

protecting our health care system. 

In fighting for the survival of Medicare, we our fighting 

for the survival of our professions. 

We must resolve to strengthen it by seeing that the 

federal government makes the necessary legislative 

changes to incorporate community and long-term care 

health services into the Canada Health Act to ensure full 

access to care for all Canadians in every sector of the 

health care system. 

The solution is to cease all further privatization of 

health services and to create a strong primary health care 

system that ensures Canadians can get the care they need 

24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Both provincial and federal governments must also 

take immediate action to resolve the nursing shortage by 

adequately funding the system and improving working 

conditions for nurses. The problems caused by understaffing 

must be solved by: creating full-time nursing 

jobs; increasing job security; improving mentorship for 

new nurses by ensuring there are enough senior nurses; 

and addressing compensation inequities by paying community 

and long-term care facility nurses the same rates 

as hospital nurses. 

The Romanow Commission made progressive and 

sensible recommendations that should not be forgotten 

just because there has been a shift in the balance of 

power. The former Liberal government invested substantial 

monies to fund the Commission, and now must move 

forward on implementing its worthy recommendations 

to ensure all Canadians have access to the health services 

and providers they need. 

Ontario nurses are asking the Canadian government 

and all parties to work together to keep health care public, 

to reject further privatization of health services, and 

to expand the Canada Health Act to include diagnostic 

services, home care and pharmacare. 

The current government must reaffirm the five pillars 

of the Act for accessibility, universality, portability, public 

administration and comprehensiveness, and add a new 

principle of accountability. 

Our public national Medicare system must be sustained 

and improved now and into the future. All parties, 

in conjunction with our current government, need to 

step up to the plate to ensure this happens. 


Un mot de la Présidente 

Linda Haslam-Stroud, inf. aut. 

Présidente de l’AIIO 

…vous nous avez 

dit que vos 

préoccupations 

premières concernaient 

les salaires, 

les avantages 

sociaux, les pensions, 

les problèmes 

liés à la 

retraite et aux 

congés, la garantie 

d’emploi et les 

conditions de travail, 

en particulier 

la charge de 

travail et l’effectif. 

La négociation de nouvelles conventions collectives est 

actuellement la préoccupation première de l’A.I.I.O. 

En tant qu’ancienne présidente du conseil de 

l’équipe de négociation du secteur hospitalier, et, maintenant 

à titre de présidente, les négociations seront toujours 

ma priorité lorsqu’il s’agira d’améliorer votre situation. 

Le contexte de cette ronde de négociations contractuelles 

découle de vos besoins et de vos attentes, d’un gouvernement 

provincial qui fait face à de sérieux problèmes 

budgétaires – dont un déficit à combler de plusieurs milliards 

de dollars – et d’un besoin véritable de trouver des 

solutions aux problèmes auxquels vous êtes confrontées. 

Nous avons entamé des négociations en connaissant vos 

priorités, grâce à une étude approfondie que nous avons 

menée en 2003. Dans le questionnaire « Exprimez-vous » 

vous nous avez dit que vos préoccupations premières concernaient 

les salaires, les avantages sociaux, les pensions, 

les problèmes liés à la retraite et aux congés, la garantie 

d’emploi et les conditions de travail, en particulier la 

charge de travail et l’effectif. (Vous verrez que les questions 

relatives aux surcharges de travail sont le sujet de notre 

article principal dans ce numéro). 

Nous ne discutons jamais de nos propositions concrètes 

en public – cela affaiblirait notre position. Mais vous pouvez 

être assurées que nous prenons vos commentaires très 

au sérieux et que nous prenons en compte vos priorités 

lors des négociations, 

Il s’agit de la 10 e ronde de négociations de l’AIIO 

pour les hôpitaux. 

C’est la troisième fois que nous utilisons un processus de 

négociations raisonnées. Cette approche est plus coopérative 

et résout plus de problèmes que les négociations classiques 

et ce processus nécessite plus de temps. Nous travaillons 

avec des facilitateurs tout au long des négociations. 

Le processus de négociations raisonnées n’est pas infaillible 

mais il résout certains problèmes plus rapidement. 

Nous avons pu discuter de certains problèmes qui, dans le 

passé, n’enchantaient pas les équipes d’employeurs, et dont 

les accords, à l’époque, n’étaient même pas envisageables. 

Jusqu’à présent, il y a eu trois semaines de négociations 

avec des rencontres additionnelles prévues pour la fin septembre 

et le début novembre. Les négociations locales 

débuteront une fois que les négociations centrales auront 

été résolues. 

Des négociations se poursuivent également dans 

le secteur des soins de longue durée. 

Des négociations ont eu lieu pendant toute une semaine 

pour l’équipe centrale des maisons de repos. Les deux parties 

ont échangé des propositions et ont fixé plusieurs 

dates pour au moins trois autres semaines de négociations 

en septembre et octobre. Ils échangeront des propositions 

locales d’ici au 15 septembre. 

Comme toujours l’art de négocier dépend du 

possible. 

Le gouvernement provincial a accordé aux hôpitaux une 

augmentation annuelle moyenne de 3,4 pour cent au cours 

des quatre prochaines années. Mais l’Association des hôpitaux 

de l’Ontario déclare que cela représente moins de la 

moitié de ce qu’ils devront payer pour les services actuels 

et pour les augmentations anticipées du nombre de 

patients. Le gouvernement provincial a également gelé la 

paye de ses cadres supérieurs, ce qui, selon certains dirigeants 

syndicaux, est un grand signe de compression pour 

les syndicats du secteur public. 

Les négociations dans le reste du Canada ont été très 

nuancées pour les infirmières du pays. 

Le British Columbia Nurses’ Union a négocié un statu 

quo des clauses touchant les salaires, les avantages et les 

congés. Toutefois, les infirmières unies de l’Alberta ont 

négocié une augmentation de six pour cent au cours des 

deux prochaines années. 

Ici, en Ontario, nous consacrons tous nos efforts afin de 

continuer de négocier des améliorations graduelles qui 

font de vous les infirmières les mieux payées au Canada. 


Message de la directrice generale 

Lesley Bell, inf. aut., 

Directrice générale 

Nous devons 

continuer à nous 

battre pour assurer 

que notre système 

ait assez 

d’effectifs de 

fournisseurs professionnels 

et 

réglementés de 

soins de santé et 

pour améliorer 

l’accès de tous les 

Canadiens à ces 

soins. 

La campagne électorale fédérale s’est achevée et nous avons 

maintenant un gouvernement libéral minoritaire 

Il reste à savoir si cette structure gouvernementale 

affaiblit le Canada à cause des divisions inhérentes à une 

administration minoritaire ou si les Libéraux peuvent 

collaborer avec d’autres partis pour en arriver à un 

consensus sur les questions importantes. 

Sinon, les Canadiens pourront se retrouver aux urnes beaucoup 

plus tôt qu’ils ne le voudraient. Il y a aussi une possibilité 

troublante que les progrès réalisés dans l’amélioration de notre 

système public de soins de santé cessent et même régressent. 

Une question qui ne peut changer, quoi qu’il arrive, est 

la question de protéger et d’améliorer la Loi canadienne sur 

la santé, et plus précisément l’assurance-santé. 

Le travail entrepris par la Commission Roy Romanow 

sous l’ancien gouvernement libéral majoritaire ne doit pas 

rester sur les tablettes à accumuler la poussière. Tous les 

partis doivent s’unir sur la question des soins de santé au 

Canada pour assurer que l’assurance-santé demeure intacte 

et qu’elle soit en fait renforcée. 

Plus précisément, notre système public national doit rester 

public et ne pas devenir une entreprise à but lucratif confiée 

aux intérêts privés à cause des aléas d’un gouvernement 

minoritaire. Nous devons continuer à nous battre pour 

assurer que notre système ait assez d’effectifs de fournisseurs 

professionnels et réglementés de soins de santé et pour améliorer 

l’accès de tous les Canadiens à ces soins. 

En tant que travailleurs de première ligne, les infirmières 

et professionnels paramédicaux ont connu une 

crise après l’autre du système de soins de santé de la province, 

qu’il s’agisse des salles d’urgence débordées, des soins 

à domicile rationnés au niveau communautaire ou d’un 

manque d’infirmières de santé publique. 

Nous croyons que les compressions budgétaires de soins de 

santé et un manque de vision et de planification ont entraîné 

des milieux de travail malsains et dangereux pour les patients 

et leurs infirmières et autres professionnels paramédicaux. 

Il en résulte une pénurie d’infirmières qui va en 

s’aggravant et qui a une incidence sur chaque secteur de 

notre système de soins de santé. Il est de plus en plus difficile 

de garder des infirmières compétentes et expérimentées 

au travail en Ontario, de ramener celles qui sont parties 

et d’attirer de nouvelles diplômées. 

La solution de la pénurie d’infirmières est un élément 

essentiel de la protection de notre système de soins de santé. 

En luttant pour la survie de l’assurance-santé, nous luttons 

pour la survie de nos professions. 

Nous devons prendre la résolution de renforcer le système 

en s’assurant que le gouvernement fédéral fasse les 

changements législatifs nécessaires pour incorporer les 

services communautaires et les services de soins de longue 

durée dans la Loi canadienne sur la santé, assurant ainsi à 

tous les Canadiens le plein accès aux soins de santé de tous 

les secteurs du système. 

La solution consiste à cesser toute privatisation des services 

de santé et de créer un système de soins de santé primaires 

fort assurant que les Canadiens puissent avoir accès aux soins 

dont ils ont besoin jour et nuit, sept jours par semaine. 

Il faut que les gouvernements fédéral et provinciaux 

prennent des mesures immédiates pour résoudre la pénurie 

d’infirmières en finançant adéquatement le système et 

en améliorant les conditions de travail des infirmières. Il 

faut solutionner les problèmes posés par le manque de 

personnel : en créant des positions d’infirmières à temps 

plein; en augmentant la sécurité d’emploi; en améliorant le 

mentorat des nouvelles infirmières (en s’assurant d’avoir 

assez d’infirmières d’expérience); et en s’attaquant aux 

disparités salariales en rémunérant les infirmières communautaires 

et de soins de longue durée au même tarif que les 

infirmières des hôpitaux. 

Il ne faudrait pas oublier les recommandations progressistes 

et raisonnables de la Commission Romanow rien que 

parce qu’il y eu un changement dans l’équilibre du pouvoir. 

L’ancien gouvernement libéral a investi des sommes importantes 

dans cette Commission et il est temps maintenant de 

mettre ses recommandations valables en action afin d’assurer 

que tous les Canadiens aient accès aux services de santé et 

aux fournisseurs de soins dont ils ont besoin. 

Les infirmières de l’Ontario demandent au gouvernement 

canadien et à toutes les parties de travailler ensemble à garder 

les soins de santé publics, à rejeter la privatisation additionnelle 

des services de santé et à élargir la Loi canadienne sur la 

santé pour inclure les services diagnostiques, les soins à domicile 

et le régime d’assurance-médicaments. 

Le gouvernement actuel doit réaffirmer les cinq piliers 

de la Loi qui sont l’accessibilité, l’universalité, la transférabilité, 

l’administration publique et l’intégrité, et y 

ajouter un nouveau principe de responsabilité. 

Notre système public national d’assurance-santé doit être 

soutenu et amélioré dès maintenant et à l’avenir. Toutes les 

parties en cause et notre gouvernement actuel doivent 

s’engager activement pour assurer que cela se produise. 


COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UPDATE 

Hospital Sector 

The Hospital Central Negotiating 

Team (HCNT) completed its first week of 

interest-based bargaining with the Ontario 

Hospital Association, which is bargaining 

on behalf of 136 participating hospitals. 

ONA is bargaining on behalf of approximately 

40,000 nurses working in the hospital 

sector. 

Futher dates for negotiations have been 

set for: 

• September 27-30 and October 1. 

• November 8-12. 

The HCNT will be posting overall bargaining 

objectives and proposals, once 

they have been tabled with the hospitals. 

Because settlements and positions taken 

during negotiations are made on a “without 

prejudice” basis and are subject to overall 

agreement on a new contract they are not 

provided or made public. While tentative 

agreements on issues may be made upon 

conclusion of a new contract, they may 

come back on the table in a different form 

before the Board of Arbitration. 

If a settlement is reached, ONA members 

will be provided with full details during 

the ONA ratification process. Should 

there be an impasse, Local Coordinators 

and Bargaining Unit Presidents in the 

hospital sector will be advised of the 

issues that will be determined by a Board 

of Arbitration, as well as any items in 

agreement. A copy of the arbitration 

award will also be made available after it 

is released. 

Bargaining updates are available on the 

ONA Web site in the secure Members’ 

Section at www.ona.org under “Bargaining 

Update.” 

Long-Term Care 

Nursing Homes 

ONA is negotiating with 116 nursing 

homes participating in this round of central 

bargaining in the Nursing Homes 

Sector. 

Negotiations opened during the week of 

June 14-18. Further dates are as follows: 

• September 20-24. 

• October 12-15. 

• October 25-29. 

The Central Negotiating Team is gelling 

nicely following orientation and team building 

in Toronto from May 31 to June 4. 

Bernadette Lamourie from Region 2 was 

selected Chair for her third consecutive 

round of bargaining. Other team members 

include: Claudette Messier, Region 

1; Vicky Thomas, Region 3; Marie Haase, 

Region 4; Sandy Kravets, Region 5; plus 

ONA staff. 

Proposals were formulated from membership 

research results of a survey sent to 

members who work in nursing homes. 

Mediation is scheduled for November 

12-14 with Kevin Burkett, and another 

meeting will be held on November 15 

with participating homes to facilitiate 

resolution of any outstanding issues. If 

necessary, arbitration is slated for January 

17-21, 2005 with either George Adams or 

Bill Kaplan. 

Local arbitrations will be held no later 

than March 1, 2005, with the same arbitration 

board. 

ONA has agreed to exchange Local proposals 

with the employer and the central 

teams by September 15. Bargaining Unit 

Presidents will be contacted by their 

Labour Relations Officers for proposals for 

Local issues. 

If you have questions about the Nursing 

Homes bargaining process, contact the 

Central Team member from your Region 

or the Team Chair by calling the Nursing 

Homes Central Negotiating Team voicemail 

box at 1-800-387-5580, ext. 7784. 

Messages are retrieved regularly. The 

voicemail box will also provide a brief 

update on bargaining. 

Bargaining updates will be mailed out 

regularly to Local Executives following 

each bargaining session, and can also 

be viewed on the ONA Web site in the 

Members’ Section at www.ona.org. 

Pay equity payout for 

nursing homes 

Nursing Home employers have now received funding for 

outstanding pay equity payments from January 1, 2004 

to June 30, 2001. Payment was issued by employers on 

June 16, 2004. 

The pay equity adjustment was to be paid out on the 

next regular pay period for ONA members. 

If there are any problems with payment of the 

adjustment, notify your Bargaining Unit President. 

November 2004 

Human Rights Caucus 

meeting set 

The 2004 Human Rights and Equity Caucus will be held on Monday, 

November 22 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. For the first 

time, the caucus will be held throughout the day, instead of an evening 

session. 

More information on the caucus will be made available to Local 

Coordinators and Bargaining Unit Presidents in August. Also watch 

ONA’s Web site in the Members’ Section. 


How bargaining in the 

Hospital Sector works 

Since 1980, ONA has engaged in a joint bargaining process 

with participating hospitals. 

The Hospital Central Negotiating Team (HCNT) is elected by and 

from ONA members in the hospital sector. The team is assisted by 

ONA staff, and negotiates with a team elected by the participating 

hospitals and Ontario Hospital Association (OHA). 

Prior to bargaining, all ONA members are sent a Have-A-Say 

Questionnaire where they can indicate their bargaining objectives for 

the upcoming round. The survey is conducted by a respected firm 

called Cultural Research. Survey results are shared with the HCNT 

and ONA members, who guide the team and staff throughout the 

bargaining process. 

In the hospital sector, there are two components to the negotiations: 

1. Central (or provincial) process - deals with the majority of the 

contract issues, including almost all provisions of a monetary 

nature. 

2. Local process - normally takes place following the central process 

Local issues are addressed by bargaining teams elected at the 

local level with the assistance of an ONA Labour Relations 

Officer (LRO). These issues often include scheduling, committee 

composition and a small number of other issues where 

one standard provision may not be appropriate. 

Traditional bargaining 

In traditional bargaining, the union and employer each develop proposals, 

exchange them and explain why each wants what it wants. 

Proposals are agreed upon, withdrawn or modified, until there is 

either a settlement or the parties come to an impasse. 

When a settlement is reached, it must be ratified by both the bargaining 

unit employees and the employers. Both ONA members and 

non-members are entitled to cast their vote of ratification (i.e. vote 

yes or no to the tentative settlement). 

If the parties reach an impasse in bargaining, they proceed to 

conciliation, a process mandated by the Ontario Labour Relations Act 

that is a necessary step for any union to proceed to a strike or interest 

arbitration. 

Under Ontario law, nurses in the Hospital Sector are not permitted 

to strike. If the parties reach an impasse in negotiating a collective 

agreement, they proceed to binding arbitration before a three-person 

Board of Arbitration. 

Each party (union and employer) names a nominee to represent 

its interests. The parties either directly, or with the assistance of the 

nominees, then attempt to agree to a chairperson. Where the parties 

cannot agree, either party can request that a neutral chairperson be 

appointed by the Minister of Labour. 

Both the union and the hospital prepare briefs outlining the issues 

in dispute with rationale as to why and how the Board of Arbitration 

should award on them. Both parties have an opportunity to address 

their issues at a hearing convened by the Board of Arbitration. 

Following the hearing, the Board issues its award, which is binding 

on all parties. 

2004 round of bargaining 

This is the 10 th -round of central bargaining for hospital nurses in 

Ontario. Until the 1998-2001 round of bargaining, ONA and the hospitals 

negotiated in the traditional manner described above. 

The 1996-1998 round of bargaining was particularly confrontational, 

and both the hospitals and ONA determined that a different 

process to repair the bargaining relationship would be of benefit. 

Consequently, ONA and the OHA decided to pursue a type of bargaining 

called “Interest-Based Bargaining” (IBB). 

Using an IBB approach to bargaining is much more time consuming, 

as the parties explore issues by: 

• determining what their shared or common interests are. 

• setting ground rules on how they will work together. 

• spending time discussing problem areas to clarify the issues. 

• brainstorming potential solutions to problem issues. 

• arriving at solutions appropriate for the area of concern. 

While this process requires extensive commitment to training from 

both parties, and although facilitators are costly, the IBB process has 

led to improved relationships with the OHA at the provincial level, 

and earlier resolution of some problem areas. 

Through the IBB process, ONA has been able to address issues that 

employer teams of the past were reluctant even to discuss, let alone 

come to agreement on. 

Bargaining priorities identified by 

hospital nurses for 2004 round 

1. Wages. 

2. Retirement package, leave of absence. 

3. Job security, workload, staffing. 

4. Scheduling, shifts. 

5. Working conditions, workplace health and 

safety, benefits, part-time issues, education. 

6. More permanent positions, seniority. 

7. Sick leave, preserve nurses’ role, recognition, 

respect, better representation, contract issues, 

greater voice for nurses and experience, 

qualifications, competence. 

8. Management issues, discrimination and equity 

issues, severance/layoff, improved grievance 

procedure, health care issues, job postings. 

13


EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD: 

ONA members 

speak out 

Affecting nurses’ health and patients’ outcomes 

14 VISION, SUMMER 2004 

Without question, the health of Ontarians is highly dependent on the services provided 

by nurses and other health care professionals, which is why it is so essential 

to address their concerns about working conditions and workload. 

One of the single most common complaints that ONA hears from membership is that 

their workloads are excessive. All sectors of the health care system are impacted by workload 

issues, and have concerns from an occupational health and safety perspective. Nurses also 

fear excessive workloads might lead to circumstances that result in their being reported to the 

College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). 

The RN staffing shortage, increased patient acuity, health care system issues and lack of 

resources are issues common to all sectors. 

For hospital nurses, other factors impacting on workloads include, increased use of less 

qualified staff, use of agency nurses, and lack of support staff. Factors also affecting nurses in 

long-term care include: inadequate staff mix ratio; insufficient patient care hours; increased 

average number of multiple medical diagnoses per resident; and the resultant increased 

complexity of required nursing care and RN intervention. And in the community sector, 

additional concerns include insufficient staffing, funding and resources leading to rationed 

care; and traveling time. 

ONA members also report the lack of availability of nursing leadership or educators, who 

are frequently pulled away from work units for various reasons, leaving front-line nurses to 

make decisions based on experience and education. 

Because of heavy workloads and the chronic staffing shortages that plague most facilities, 

ONA members fear for the safety of their patients and worry that their ability to provide quality 

care is compromised, putting their CNO registration at risk. 

Research validates our members’ concerns. 

In her October 2003 report “Stepping to Success and Sustainability,” supported by 1995 

American Nurses Association research, Linda O’Brien-Pallas wrote, “Concerns about workload 

and staffing not only influence nurses’ health and safety, they also influence patient 

outcomes. In U.S. hospitals, the odds of patient mortality increases by 7 per cent for every 

additional patient in an average nursing workload … Inadequate nursing staff has been associated 

with other types of adverse occurrences, including medication errors, decubitus ulcers, 

pneumonia, post-operative infections, and urinary tract infections…” 

Workload/staffing top ONA priorities 

ONA membership research indicates that addressing workload and staffing levels are two of 

the most important priorities for our organization. Workload and staffing levels also figure 

among the top issues being presented at the bargaining table in both hospital and nursing 

homes sectors, on the direction of ONA members, compiled from the “Have A Say” questionnaires 

on bargaining objectives.

WORKLOAD 

ONA members speak out about excessive workloads 

Layoff rumours 

fuel insecurity for 

Brampton nurses 

Dorothy Sterling, RN 

ONA Local 43, Region 3 

William Osler Health 

Centre, Brampton 

While rumours of the possible layoff of 

400 full-time equivalent staff abound, ONA 

members from Local 43, William Osler 

Health Centre, Brampton site, are feeling 

more unsettled than usual. 

“Workload and staffing levels are a major 

concern for our members, but these rumours 

really have them feeling insecure,” said Local 

Coordinator/Bargaining Unit President 

Dorothy Sterling, RN. “Nothing is substantiated, 

but there is a hiring freeze and everything’s 

on hold. It is making a stressful work 

environment even more uncomfortable.” 

Sterling says heavy workloads for existing 

RN staff have had a great impact on both the 

nurses and their patients. 

“In my day-surgery unit, people come in 

the morning and are supposed to be out by 

1900 hours. It means more people are put 

through in a day, and we’re required to get 

them out in time,” said Sterling, a former 

ONA Board member and long-time ONA 

activist. 

“We often end up staying late to ensure 

the patients get the care they need. It means 

we end up following rules instead of what 

our hearts tell us to do, in a traditional 

nursing sense. It’s frustrating for nurses and 

confusing for patients. We want our patients 

to leave feeling like they’ve received good 

care and are physically ready to go home 

post-op.” 

Sterling says the workload means nurses 

are routinely denied overtime, miss breaks 

and are occasionally told they may have 

vacations denied, although she isn’t aware 

of that having happened. Another concern 

impacting on workload is insufficient hospital 

security. 

“On top of our jobs, we’re always looking 

over our shoulders for possible security 

breaches and threats, such as abusive 

patients and families. The stress takes its 

toll on our health, adds to our sick time and 

compounds the workload problem,” says 

Sterling. 

Despite the problems, Sterling says the 

hospital administration seems willing to work 

with nursing staff to improve the situation. 

The current director of professional development 

is supportive of nursing staff, and the 

Surgical Director, who deals with workload 

complaints, has shown a commitment to 

resolving the some 50 workload forms filed 

by Local 43 members since May. 

“They seem to take our concerns seriously. 

Filing workload 

complaints key to 

addressing concerns 

for Sault’s Local 46 

Glenda Hubley, RN 


Sault Area Hospital 

Local 46 Coordinator Glenda Hubley, RN, a 

registered nurse on the surgical unit at Sault 

Area Hospitals, has been down this road 

before. 

After filing a Professional Responsibility 

Complaint (PRC) that resulted in the hiring of 

two full-time positions on an all-RN surgical 

unit in 2001 (see article in ONA Vision, Spring 

2001, pg. 21), workload concerns are surfacing 

once again, this time on a med/surgical 

unit consisting of an RN/RPN skill mix. 

“There is an accountability from the 

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for 

our hospital to benchmark with other hospitals, 

and that is causing a problem,” she said. 

“Patient safety should come first, but the 

hospital is driven by the Ministry’s benchmarking 

accountability, which essentially is 

changing the delivery of care.” 

Hopefully, this will help resolve some of our 

workload problems, but obviously they need 

to hire more staff,” said Sterling. 

However, as of June 1, all job posting 

notices were removed and a hiring freeze 

put into effect to deal with the hospital’s $27 

million deficit. Sterling believes the $800,000 

in provincial funding that was to go to hiring 

nurses in 2003 was actually spent on bedside 

equipment. 

The other crucial component in solving the 

workload situation is to consult more with 

RNs, she says. 

“There has to be a front-line nurse at all 

management team meetings. We know firsthand 

what the problems are and what it 

takes to resolve them,” said Sterling. 

For example, RNs and RPNs now work 

collaboratively on a previously all-RN unit. 

Hubley says this has caused difficulties in 

terms of the College of Nurses of Ontario’s 

(CNO) Standards of Practice, but nurses have 

a good relationship with the employer and 

are confident they can work it out. 

“Filing workload complaints has been the 

key to our employer creating 70 full-time 

float pool positions this past year,” she said. 

“That has been a very good thing for Local 

46, with positive outcomes for both our 

patients and our members. ONA was very 

supportive of the PRC we went through. 

During the process, we supported the nurses, 

and ONA supported the Local.” 

Hubley adds that nurses struggling with 

workload issues must first and foremost 

understand the CNO Standards, and realize 

that both nurses and employers are responsible 

for quality care. 

“Sometimes employers don’t get it,” 

she said. “(Workload issues) are not about 

the nurse or the employer, they are about 

accountability and the delivery of safe, ethical 

care to the patient. Nurses must remember 

that if it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right, 

and they need to do something about it.” 

15

WORKLOAD 


ONA members speak out about excessive workloads 

Putting out fires in 

homes sector all in 

a day’s work 

Bernadette Lamourie, RN 


Extendicare Ottawa 

Excessive workloads have taken the joy 

out of nursing, says Local 74 Coordinator 

and Bargaining Unit President Bernadette 

Lamourie, RN, a veteran of 37 years of nursing 

overall and 23 in the homes sector. 

“You never leave a shift feeling like you’ve 

done all you needed to. You’re simply not 

able to do the job you should be doing, 

or could be doing, if you had the proper 

amount of time to do it in,” said Lamourie. 

“You spend all your time putting out fires, 

rather than preventing them. Some days, I 

just feel like retiring.” 

Lamourie’s concerns are fairly reflective 

of the nursing homes sector in general, 

with registered nurses grappling with critical 

staffing shortages and impossible staff 

mixes, although she says her nursing home 

is slightly better staffed than others. 

On an average day shift, one RN is in 

charge of 60 residents, with support from 

one Registered Practical Nurse and unregulated 

Health Care Aides (HCA). Minimum 

staffing levels are legislated but are inadequate 

to provide safe, high quality resident 

care. 

“An HCA or RPN doesn’t have the assessment 

skills and knowledge of an RN. Yet, 

depending on the unit and acuity of residents, 

you may find an HCA or RPN directly responsible 

for some 10 to 20 residents,” she said. 

“We depend heavily on them to report any 

changes in a resident’s status, but if something 

is missed, it could have a catastrophic 

outcome for the resident. It’s an extremely 

difficult situation.” 

Lamourie says residents should be getting 

more attention and care from an RN, someone 

with proper training and assessment skills, 

but one person cannot get around to properly 

assess 60 residents in an eight-hour shift. 

“It’s impossible. In the end, the residents 

who are the most acutely ill get most of the 

attention, and ultimately, the RN is accountable 

to the CNO,” she said. 

The stress from worrying about what 

could happen on a shift is tremendous and 

constant, says Lamourie. 

“It doesn’t make you feel good about your 

job, and it isn’t what I went into nursing for. 

I’m pedalling hard just to keep up, much less 

to get ahead,” she said. 

The workload situation is one of the reasons 

why it’s so difficult to recruit and retain 

nurses in the homes sector. Another key factor 

is that wages and benefits fall short of 

hospital rates. 

For Lamourie, a perennial member of the 

Nursing Homes Central Bargaining Team and 

team chair for the third consecutive round 

this year, the fight will again move to the 

bargaining table. 

“Workload and staffing issues, along with 

wages and benefits, will be major issues in 

this round,” she said. “We’re hoping to make 

some real gains, to relieve some of the pressures 

for nurses in the homes sector.” 

In the meantime, ONA will continue 

to lobby the provincial government for 

increased nursing home funding specifically 

directed to nursing care, improvements in 

staffing levels and more hours of nursing 

care per resident. 

“On ‘grid-lock days,’ 

we can barely get 

the essentials done” 

Kathi Snell, RN 


Guelph General Hospital 

For Local 25 Coordinator Kathi Snell, RN, and 

the registered nurses working in the emergency 

room at Guelph General Hospital, 

workload issues are playing a big part in 

their ability to provide quality care. 

“Many days, when we are in grid-lock, it is 

a big concern,” she said. “My members can 

barely get the essentials done and it becomes 

an assembly line. That just doesn’t feel right. 

We can’t give the quality patient care we 

16 

want, and health teaching with patients and 

families is basically non-existent.” 

Despite that, there have been no layoffs 

at Snell’s hospital and, in fact, they are 

recruiting for several full-time and part-time 

permanent positions from funds allocated 

for RN hiring. Snell and the other ER nurses 

have formed a working group – she serves 

as co-chair – to make nursing recommendations. 

They meet regularly with the employer, 

who she says is very receptive and attentive 

to their concerns. 

“We are addressing many professional 

practice issues, including RN/RPN role clarity 

and appropriate assignments within scope 

of practice,” she said. “Many good recommendations 

have come out of the working 

group.” 

Snell adds that work environments could 

be vastly improved if non-nursing duties were 

taken away from nurses, and if truly meaningful 

workload measurement tools were used, 

instead of “punitive number games that take 

too much time away from the bedside and 

patient care, and do nothing but tell nurses 

when they have too much staff.” 

“Who do you think cleans up spills from 

the patient’s bedside? A nurse has to clean 

initially before a housekeeper will come in. 

Who do you think cleans up operating theatres 

after 11 p.m? A nurse does on overtime 

and callbacks,” she said. 

“If physicians were held accountable for all 

after hours procedures, and had to give up time 

for non-urgent procedures then we could have 

money for nursing and job satisfaction!”

Long-term care workload solutions sought 

through collective bargaining and lobbying 

members in long-term care facili- 

have been complaining about 

ONAties 

the inability to deliver appropriate care to their 

residents primarily because of workload. 

ONA collective agreements historically 

have included a workload complaints procedure. 

However, that mechanism requires 

documentation that takes time to assemble, 

and members already have difficulty finding 

the time to complete their formal employment 

responsibilities. 

“To date, ONA has been able to negotiate 

improved staffing levels at specific agencies, 

but it continues to be a challenge,” said ONA 

President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. “We are 

working hard to improve conditions for our 

long-term care members, and the quality of 

care for residents, both through collective 

bargaining and by lobbying for legislative 

changes.” 

Levels of Care funding was introduced in 

1993, providing an opportunity to develop a 

user-friendly, easily-administered system of 

adjusting staffing levels. 

In June 2001, the PricewaterhouseCoopers 

(PWC) Report was released. Commissioned 

and directed by the Employer/Operator 

Associations and funded by the province of 

Ontario, the report determined how many 

hours of registered nursing care was received 

by each facility resident in a number of jurisdictions 

in Canada, the United States and 

Europe. It also calculated the care requirements 

of these residents. 

The report indicated that Ontario residents 

have care needs equal to or greater than residents 

in all other jurisdictions, but received 

less care in total. It recommended that 

Ontario increase its funding so that facility 

operators could implement the Manitoba or 

Saskatchewan levels of care. 

In Manitoba, the RN level is .4 hours or 

24 minutes of RN care per resident a day, 

while the Saskatchewan level is .59 hours or 

35 minutes. The current average in Ontario 

is .23 hours or 14 minutes of RN care per 

resident a day. 

The PWC Report became the basis for 

subsequent ONA action in bargaining and 

lobbying for improvements to staffing levels 

in the long-term care sector. 

The latest annual report of the Geriatric 

and Long-Term Care Committee of the Office 

of the Chief Coroner of Ontario focuses on 

the increasing complexity of residents’ conditions 

in long-term care facilities, and the 

need for enhanced nursing assessments. 

The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) 

continues to emphasize that, as patient condition 

complexity increases, their care must 

be assumed by RNs. 

There is even evidence within individual 

facilities confirming the need for more RN 

staff. Each January, every long-term care facility 

is sent a report containing summary details 

of residents’ conditions. One section indicates 

that the average number multiple diagnoses 

per resident is increasing. Increasing multiple 

medical diagnoses adds to the complexity 

of residents’ conditions and, therefore, the 

increased need for RN intervention. 

ONA is still in the early stages of efforts to 

win increased RN hours in long-term care facilities, 

although to date there isn’t any authoritative 

interest arbitration decision on this issue. 

At Windsor’s Huron Lodge, however, the 

last settlement contained an obligation on 

the employer to increase the daily RN complement 

from seven to 12, and at Rideaucrest 

in Kingston, the employer agreed to increase 

bi-weekly RN shifts from 100 to 120. 

ONA has a number of Homes for the Aged 

where the employer is already providing 

close to or in excess of .4 hours of RN care 

per day, and the collective agreement requires 

the employer to maintain the current level of 

RN staffing. At more than half of our Homes 

for the Aged, the employer, in addition to its 

other staffing commitments, has agreed to 

discuss with ONA the issue of adopting the 

PWC Report’s benchmarks when determining 

staffing complement. 

As a result of Employer Association lobbying 

efforts, the Ontario government announced 

in July 2002 that it would raise funding for 

nursing and personal care staffing by $100 

million – nearly 12 per cent. The following 

July, an additional $100 million was given to 

long-term care facilities, and on May 11 of 

this year, the new Liberal government 

announced it would increasing funding to 

long-term care facilities by a further $191 

million. These funding increases have made 

it more practicable for employers to respond 

positively to ONA’s proposal. 

ONA is pressuring the provincial government 

to require operators to be more accountable 

for their funding. Simultaneously, ONA 

is determined to rectify these inadequacies 

directly with individual employers. 

Through the Ontario Labour Relations 

Board, ONA will seek orders requiring 

employers to disclose their funding allocation 

decisions. And through negotiations, 

ONA will pursue provisions in our collective 

agreements that will ensure appropriate levels 

of staffing through user-friendly enforcement 

mechanisms. 


WORKLOAD 


“ONA is responding to our members’ concerns about workload, 

both through political lobbying and by strengthening language in our 

collective agreements. There is no question that workload is one of the 

most prevailing concerns for our registered nurses in all sectors of the 

health care system,” said ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. 

“ONA’s goal is to work with government, the CNO, employers and 

other health care stakeholders on resolving the nursing shortage and 

workload concerns. Ultimately, Ontario patients will be the winners 

in gaining safer, quality care in an environment that is also safer for 

nurses and other professional care providers.” 

Lost-time claims increased 

From an occupational health and safety standpoint, the toll from 

excessive workloads and understaffing on the nursing ranks is enormous 

and costly. 

In 2002, nurses filed 1,481 lost time claims with the Workers 

Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) for injuries or illnesses on the job, 

totaling 52,105 lost days of work at a cost to the system of $5.1 million. 

Between 1990 and 1998, lost time claims submitted by nurses 

in Ontario’s hospitals increased by 10 per cent. 

The national Office of Nursing Policy determined in a 2002 study 

that Canada’s registered nurses have the highest absenteeism rate of 

all full-time Canadian workers, and was 80 per cent higher than the 

national average. Between 1997 and 2002, the absenteeism rate for 

RNs increased by 16.2 per cent. 

Documenting workloads essential 

ONA hospital nurses have a mechanism called the Professional 

Responsibility Clause in their collective agreements. Nursing Homes 

have a similar process, as do some Homes for the Aged and community 

health units. 

For hospitals, Article 8.01 documents workload concerns and puts 

into a play a mechanism that includes getting facility managers to 

work with the union to try and resolve the situation. It is designed 

to enhance safe, quality patient care by addressing concerns relating 

to professional practice, patient acuity, fluctuating workloads and 

fluctuating staffing, in a timely and effective manner. 

“This is ground-breaking language, and ONA was the first nursing 

union in Canada to incorporate it into our collective agreements, 

with other provincial unions following suit,” said Haslam-Stroud. 

“This mechanism not only is for the well-being and safety of 

patients, but also is for the protection of our members, who may 

identify that their patients are at risk because of understaffing or 

workload concerns.” 

By filling out workload documentation forms, available from all 

Bargaining Unit Presidents, every time they identify an unsafe condition, 

ONA members are shifting responsibility and accountability 

back on the employer. 

The form itself is not a professional responsibility complaint, but 

the start of a paper trail to identify and demonstrate ongoing problems 

that require a response from managers in a health care setting. 

It also acts as proof of an ONA member’s identification of patient 

safety issues to managers, and provides evidence should you find 

yourself having to responds to the CNO’s Complaints and Disciplines 

Committee. 

It isn’t always successful, but has resulted in improved working 

conditions for some ONA members, such as: 

• increased staffing levels. 

• safer workplaces. 

• improved communication with employers. 

• improved quality of care. 

• provision of necessary equipment and supplies. 

ONA continues to tackle the workload issue in a number of 

venues, through collective bargaining, legislative changes and the 

grievance/Professional Responsibility process. 

In the previous pages, some of our members talk about their experiences 

with excessive workloads in their workplaces. 

18 

At Grey-Bruce 

CCAC, “Morale has 

never been lower” 

Elaine Palmer, RN 


Grey-Bruce Community 

Care Access Centre, 

Owen Sound 

For Local 4 Coordinator Elaine Palmer, RN, 

and the staff at the Grey-Bruce Community 

Care Access Centre (CCAC), workload issues 

have never been more prominent. 

“Our workload has increased dramatically 

since April, when 7.5 positions were 

eliminated due to budgeting,” she said. “The 

CCAC redesigned our work due to this reduction 

in staffing levels.” 

That redesign has meant, among other 

things, that staff are being shifted to different 

areas, and waiting lists are growing out 

of control, particularly for the frail elderly. 

“They are assessed and then put on a waiting 

list, which is currently over a year long,” 

she said. “They can’t get the services they 

need. We are now seeing a two-tiered system 

emerge. Those who can afford to buy walkers, 

do so. Those who need to go through 

the CCAC, wait. Those who can afford private 

care, buy it. Those who can’t, wait. Patient 

safety is my number one concern.” 

Palmer says relief will only come when the 

CCAC receives the additional funding it was 

promised one year ago, which will hopefully 

mean an increase in staff. 

“We desperately need that,” she said. “We 

are seeing burnout, stress leave and sickness in 

our staff. There is no relief for vacations. In fact, 

morale is the lowest level I’ve ever seen it.”

What dues do for you 

“So, how are my monthly ONA dues spent?” 

This is one of the most common questions 

we get at ONA, so we thought we’d outline 

what your membership brings. We are 

very proud of the vast array of services and 

benefits we efficiently and effectively provide 

to our members. 

Monthly dues, which are tax deductible, 

currently stand at $61 per member per 

month (see pie chart for breakdown) and are 

allotted as follows: 

Operating portion 

AIDS/LTD - $2.50 

LEAP - $1.50 

Local Portion - $9.00 

Supplemental Fund - $2.00 

$46.00 

Operating 

The majority of your dues goes towards 

our operating fund, or the money needed 

to conduct traditional union business, such 

as contract administration and negotiations, 

grievance handling, education services, 

professional legal representation and expert 

staff support. It includes rent, property taxes, 

heath/light and building maintenance. The 

operating fund also includes fees for our 

affiliation with the Canadian Federation of 

Nurses Union, which provides advocacy on 

behalf of patients, professional caregivers and 

our public health care system. 

Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP) 

LEAP provides financial assistance when a 

complaint is brought against a plan member 

to the College of Nurses of Ontario or another 

regulatory body. It also provides funds in 

the event of legal actions arising out of the 

workplace, such as inquests or criminal code 

investigations. 

Local portion 

A portion of your dues goes right back to 

your Local to fund a variety of activities, 

including grievance handling and education. 

This ensures your Local has the autonomy 

and ability to customize the services you 

require at the Local level. 

Supplemental fund 

This was set up for Locals who need additional assistance. Under the 

Local Financial Guidelines, certain requirements must be met, therefore, 

a fund was established allowing Locals to apply for additional 

finances to meet those needs. 

AIDS/long-term disability (LTD) premiums 

A portion of your dues funds supplementary AIDS/LTD coverage in 

the unfortunate event that you are unable to work due to illness or 

injury. Enrolment is automatic for dues-paying members and could 

save you thousands of dollars should something unforeseen happen 

to you in the workplace. The LTD portion applies to members who 

do not have coverage through their employer, while the AIDS portion 

is for all members. 

Revised members guide to LEAP released 

The Legal Expense Assistance Plan document has been revised and is now available 

through the Members’ Section of the ONA Web site at www.ona.org. You can also 

obtain hard copies of the document through the ONA mailroom. 

19

ONA believes there is no place for racism or any form of discrimination in 

the workplace or anywhere else. 

Professor Tania 

Das Gupta: 

Racism negatively 

impacts nurses at work 

During the 2000 Human Rights and 

Equity Caucus held in conjunction with 

ONA’s Biennal Convention, the Racially 

Diverse Caucus recommended ONA conduct 

a study to determine the existence and prevalence 

of racism in nursing. 

Professor Tania Das Gupta of York 

University has concluded her one-year 

exploratory study into racism in nursing 

in Ontario. It was formally presented to 

ONA membership at the November 2003 

Provincial Coordinators Meeting. 

In general, the study found there are many 

ways in which racism manifests itself in the 

workplace and the report outlines those. The 

way facilities conduct their business indicates 

there is systemic racism. There are also 

individual acts of racism. 

“One of the most disturbing findings is 

that almost all categories of nurses of colour, 

but especially Black nurses, indicated racism 

had negatively affected their working lives. 

Co-worker harassment and harassment from 

patients are significant issues,” said ONA 

President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. 

“ONA believes there is no place for racism 

or any form of discrimination in the 

workplace or anywhere else. Professor Das 

Gupta’s report is a valuable tool to help ONA 

members identify, and work toward, eliminating 

racism in nursing.” 

Haslam-Stroud indicated ONA is committed 

to diversity, human rights and equity, 

and dignity and respect for all members, and 

would continue to work on behalf of members 

to ensure their rights to harassment-free 

workplaces are upheld 

and protected. 

The Das Gupta report 

discusses the subtlety 

of systemic forms of 

racism and individual 

acts of discrimination 

and harassment in the 

workplace. Individuals 

can be the recipient of 

discrimination and not 

realize that it is part of a persistent pattern. 

The report provides tools that will help members 

deal with racism and discrimination. 

Professor Das Gupta noted that ONA’s 

undertaking of the study was a positive sign, 

and indicates the organization is taking a 

lead in attempting to address these issues. 

What follows is a brief overview of the 

report, and some of its conclusions. 

For the study, all ONA members were 

asked in a questionnaire to self-identify 

with seven diverse groups: Black/African 

Canadian, Asian Canadian, South Asian, 

Aboriginal/First Nations, White/European, 

Central/South American and Other. 

Nurses were asked to describe how their 

race, colour or ethnicity had affected their 

work experience, and if they had ever been 

made to feel uncomfortable or “put down” 

because of these factors. 

They were also asked if they felt their race, 

colour or ethnicity had an effect on aspects 

of their employment, including hiring, promotions 

and relationships with colleagues, 

patients and managers. 

In her study Professor Das Gupta defines 

racism and offers practical examples of patterns 

of behaviour, such as: targeting, where 

one worker is subject to closer scrutiny, more 

severe discipline or the heaviest or most 

undesirable work assignment; or segregation, 

where we find workers of a particular 

race or ethnic background concentrated in a 

particular work area, usually the least desirable. 

Evidence of situations like this, and other 

examples provided, should alert us to the 

fact that racism may indeed exist in the 

workplace. The theoretical framework Professor 

Das Gupta gives outlines the historical 

exclusion of Blacks and other visible minorities 

from the health care system, and notes 

the current lack of visible minorities in the 

upper echelons of the health care hierarchical 

structure. 

The survey found that significant numbers 

of nurses of colour, and particularly black 

nurses, indicated they had felt that their 

worklife experience had been negatively 

affected by their race colour or ethnicity. 

In some cases, they felt that even when this 

had been brought to the attention of hospital 

management, nothing had been done. Many 

had experienced serious medical problems 

because of the negative or “poisoned” work 

environment. 

It is also disturbing that when asked who 

the “put-downers” were, the largest proportion 

“were colleagues, followed by patients, 

doctors, managers and ‘others’.” 

Based on the survey results, Professor Das 

Gupta concludes: “My survey, despite its 

limitations [sic], indicates that anti-Black 

racism is prevalent in nursing. In almost 

every category, Black/African nurses reported 

that race/ethnicity/colour influenced their 

employment experience.” 

ONA’s Provincial Human Rights and Equity 

Team strongly encourages all members to 

review Professor Das Gupta’s report. A copy 

of the report and executive summary can be 

obtained by going to the Members’ Section 

of the ONA Web site at www.ona.org, or by 

contacting the ONA mailroom in Toronto. 


strongly advocates the use 

ONAof ceiling lifts as a much safer 

alternative for registered nurses and other 

care providers who lift and move patients. 

In fact, ONA recommends that blueprints 

for all new health care facilities should 

include a plan for the installation of ceiling 

lifts in every patient care room or patient 

location. For older facilities, ceiling lifts 

should be retro-fitted wherever possible. 

The provincial government has demonstrated 

support for this initiative. In May, 

Health and Long-Term Care Minister George 

Smitherman announced that $60 million 

would be provided to purchase and install 

12,000 patient lifts in hospitals and longterm 

care homes to ensure the safe movement 

of patients. The funding tops up $14 

million in federal monies allocated in 2003/ 

2004 for patient and staff safety equipment, 

including mechanical bedlifts. 

As new methods for protecting health-care 

workers from workplace injuries and accidents 

are explored, how patients are lifted 

and moved is a critical issue for nurses. RNs 

are extremely susceptible to musculoskeletal 

injury because of their day-to-day workplace 

activities in providing patient care. 

In 2003, the Workplace Safety Insurance 

Board (WSIB) reported that overexertion injuries 

in the health care sector accounted for 54 

per cent of total lost-time injuries, with health 

care workers having among the highest rates 

of injuries of all industrial groups. Data from 

2002/2003 shows injuries to nurses resulted 

in 51,000 lost days of nursing. 

“This is completely unacceptable and 

demonstrates just how at-risk nurses are. 

These numbers can be reduced through fairly 

simple prevention initiatives, which would 

make our workplaces safer for our members 

and reduce the number of musculoskeletal 

injuries,” said ONA President Linda Haslam- 

Stroud, RN, a member of the new provincial 

Health and Safety Action Group, a joint initiative 

of the health and labour ministries, 

which is looking at reducing workplace 

injuries for health care workers. 

“In consultation with Joint Health and 

Safety Committees (JHSC), employers must 

develop patient handling programs that 

incorporate the purchase, training and use of 

ceiling lifts and other mechanical and lifting 

devices.” 

A 1994 Sunnybrook Health Science Centre 

study found ceiling lifts reduced the number 

of staff needed to execute patient lifts, and 

that nurses perceived less effort was required 

using ceiling lifts compared to conventional 

floor model lifts. 

ONA asked members in this facility what 

they thought about the ceiling lift, and most 

were very pleased with the system and the 

reduction in injuries. However, no system is 

without risks. 

One member found a number of problems 

with a lift used on her unit. It has a steel bar 

attached to the ceiling on which the lifting 

device slides. If the bar isn’t positioned 

properly, a lot of twisting and bending across 

the bed is required to correctly position the 

patient in the chair. 

It is costly to move the bar once it is 

installed since it is part of the structure of 

the ceiling joists, and because a canvas lift 

sheet is required for each patient, a washing 

machine must be available to launder soiled 

sheets. 

Attaching the battery pack to the strap on 

the ceiling is also a problem because it must 

be lifted over one’s head. It is easier to stand 

on a chair to hook it in, but that puts a member 

at risk of falling. Another ONA member 

reported that shorter health care workers 

need to use a reacher. 

Ceiling lifts safer 

alternative for 

moving patients 

At a recent health and safety conference 

in Vancouver, participants were overall 

extremely pleased with ceiling lifts and would 

not want to go back to the old way of lifting. 

Many felt that a two-track system was much 

easier to manoeuvre than a one-track system. 

The British Columbia Workers Compensation 

Board is far ahead of Ontario in this 

regard. The WSIB’s mandate in Ontario is 

also prevention, however initiatives have 

been minimal compared to those of BC. 

“JHSCs must help employers understand 

the benefits of health and safety prevention 

initiatives involving ceiling lifts, mechanical 

and lift devices, and a good, sound ‘nounsafe 

lift’ policy/program that incorporates 

training for all staff required to lift,” said 

Haslam-Stroud. “It will prevent injuries, and 

in the long-term, will be cost efficient for the 

employer.” 

ONA members are encouraged to ask their 

employer to take action on this issue. JHSCs 

should make written recommendations to 

employers for implementation of a no-unsafe 

lift policy/program that includes the purchase 

of equipment and training for staff. 

Health care employers certainly should 

know that it costs much less to prevent an 

injury than to react to an injury that has 

already occurred. 

Members should speak to their JHSC or call 

the Ministry of Labour (MOL). A list of MOL 

phone numbers can be found in the Members’ 

Section of ONA’s Web site at www.ona.org. 

JHSCs must help employers understand the benefits of health and safety 

prevention initiatives involving ceiling lifts, mechanical and lift devices. 


ONA Education: 

developing skills and leadership 

One of the most important services 

ONA provides is continuing education, 

preparing members to take on leadership roles 

within the union and on their work units. 

The Provincial Education Coordination 

Team (PECT), in collaboration with ONA’s 

four District Service Teams (DST), works to 

deliver quality ONA education programs that 

are accessible to all ONA members. 

ONA education has many functions and 

objectives, including helping members 

understand how labour and health legislation impact on their workplaces and working lives, 

what their rights are under ONA collective agreements, and ONA’s structure at provincial, 

local and bargaining unit levels. Education also helps members develop skills in the areas of 

interpreting contracts, preparing for grievances and arbitrations, and representing members 

in their workplaces. 

Education requirements for each region are determined each year by the development of 

regional education plan. Every two years, the Board reviews the regional education curricula, 

and publishes a recommended list of priority programs to assist Locals in their planning of 

education programs for the coming two-year period. 

ONA Board recommended programs for 2005 

1 st Quarter 

Negotiations 

ONA Representative 

Treasurers’ Workshop 

Executive Skills Level1 

2 nd Quarter 

Executive Skills Level 2 

Contract Interpretation 

Human Rights Level 1 

Workload 

3 rd and 4 th Quarters 

There is no cost for ONA members to attend ONA workshops, however reimbursement 

for meals, travel and salary are determined by Local policy. If you are interested in attending 

a workshop, contact your Local Coordinator. 

To find out more about ONA education, check the education link 

on ONA’s Web site at www.ona.org, or call the DST education contact 

in your area. Dial the toll-free ONA number of 1-800-387-5580 (in 

Toronto, call (416) 964-8833) and press the respective access number 

for each team. When prompted, dial the extension of the education 

contact, listed below. 

Education Contacts for each DST 

WSIB 

Occupational Health & Safety 

Human Rights Level 2 

Grievance Arbitration 

Media Relations and Political Lobbying 

North Team Kelly Robert, Sudbury press 6 ext. 3128 

East Team Tina Shogren, Kingston press 2 ext. 4030 

South Team Lynn Morra, Toronto press 0 ext. 2420 

West Team Victoria Kotevich, Windsor press 9 ext. 5221 

Navigating the 

ONA Web site 

ONA’s Web site continues to expand, with 

more and more features now available. 

Plenty of new features are aimed at providing 

members with the information they need 

in a quick, intuitive manner. Here’s an update 

on what’s new at www.ona.org. 

Public area 

The public area of the Web site offers information 

that may be of interest to non-members. 

This includes news items, information 

on education workshops, ONA’s stance on 

current events, political information, ONA 

history, calendar of events, contact and Board 

of Directors information and media items. 

Members’ Section 

All bona fide ONA members can access 

“members only” information in the secure 

Members’ Section. Logging in is easy. You 

just need two bits of information: 

1. Your Union ID number (which can be 

found on your ONA ID card). 

2. Your last name, exactly as it appears on 

your ONA ID card. 

Log-in window for Members’ Section of Web site 

The Members’ Section offers a whole range 

of information exclusively for members. 

This includes frequent, in-depth bargaining 

updates, detailed information about services 

and benefits, and online registration for provincial 

meetings. 

All members can now access any current 

collective agreement that ONA administers. 

These are just a few exciting features of the 

ONA Web site. For more information, come 

visit us at www.ona.org. 


First Vice-President’s Message 

Susan Prettejohn 

ONA First Vice-President 

Susan Prettejohn and other delegates at the 

June Canadian Nurses Association conference in 

St. John’s meet Prime Minister Paul Martin. 

Nursing students often ask me if they can remain ONA 

members even if they accept jobs in the United States 

They look at ONA as a real life-saver and want 

the assurance that it’s there for them as they embark 

on their careers, whether they work in Ontario or look to 

greener pastures in the U.S. 

In June, when I spoke to about 30 third-year nursing 

students from York University, they were quite impressed 

with the array of services and programs ONA provides. 

It wasn’t any different back in March when I met with 

first-year nursing students at George Brown College and 

Ryerson University. 

Nursing students aren’t naïve. They know that if they 

take jobs in Ontario, they are taking on a huge responsibility 

to care for patients in a difficult work environment. 

Most of them understand that they need ONA supporting 

them. 

Unfortunately, about one-third of the York University 

third-year class indicated they would be taking jobs in 

the U.S. after graduation, primarily for the “challenge 

and excitement.” But when I asked the class what would 

keep them here in Canada, the almost universal response 

was full-time jobs and scheduling flexibility. 

They know that’s something ONA can help them with 

in negotiating with the employer for the best possible 

terms for their collective agreements. They also know 

ONA serves as a strong advocate on their behalf to government 

and before the College of Nurses, in such areas as 

occupational health and safety and professional practice. 

Still, it isn’t enough to keep many of them from looking 

southward for nursing jobs. 

Ontario still has a long way to go to resolve the nursing 

shortage that has been crippling our health care system 

for at least the last 10 years. ONA has worked hard to 

establish a good working relationship with the provincial 

Liberal government to effect solutions, to try and create 

better working environments and to obtain the wages 

and benefits that would entice young graduates to stay in 

Ontario and keep our experienced nurses in the system. 

Ontario will be hard hit if our senior nurses decide 

enough is enough and take early retirement in the next 

few years. We could lose 20,000 to 30,000 nurses by 

the year 2008, depending on whether nurses retire at 

age 55 or age 65, according to an October 2003 study 

by Linda O’Brien-Pallas, RN, “Stepping Stones to Success 

and Sustainability: An Analysis of Ontario’s Nursing 

Workforce.” 

The time to deal with these issues is now. 

One of the areas I’ve been working on under my 

Political Action Portfolio is developing a list of political 

action reps in each region to kick start our lobbying 

efforts with this Liberal government. Nurses are the 

best possible resource for understanding what needs 

improvements in our health care system, but they need 

to have a voice. 

Your help is necessary. Volunteer to be a rep, or to 

support the rep in your Bargaining Unit and Local. 

Participate in letter-writing campaigns, at rallies and by 

speaking to your local elected representatives. 

Regarding professional practice matters, the feature 

story in this issue of ONA Vision deals with workload and 

our members’ concerns for the safety of their patients 

and themselves in a difficult working environment. 

To that end, I have been working with representatives 

from the community sector to develop a Professional 

Workload Report Form specific to nurses in public 

health, Community Care Access Centres, clinics and 

home visiting nurses. It will be similar to the workload 

form currently utilized by nurses in the hospital sector 

and homes sector, but this one will be specific to community 

nursing. 

A focus group was held in May with representation 

from all aspects of community nursing. The purpose of 

the focus group was to brainstorm and to begin work on 

developing the workload form. 

ONA, with help from our strong Local leadership, is 

working to improve working conditions for our members, 

both veterans and new grads alike, so they will stay here 

in Ontario and not look for greener pastures in the U.S. 

Nursing students 

aren’t naïve. 

They know that if 

they take jobs in 

Ontario, they are 

taking on a huge 

responsibility to 

care for patients 

in a difficult work 

environment. 


QUEEN’S PARK UPDATE 

Bill 8, Commitment to the Future of 

Medicare Act, becomes Ontario law 

“Bill 8 is the cornerstone of our plan to transform and strengthen 

Ontario’s health care system,” said provincial Health Minister George 

Smitherman after it passed into law on June 17. Accountability provisions 

in Part III of the legislation provide for the Health Minister to 

negotiate accountability agreements with “health resource providers,” 

which are defined as hospitals, homes for the aged, nursing homes, 

independent health facilities and community care access corporations. 

If a negotiated agreement is not reached, the government can impose 

an accountability agreement. The law also establishes an independent 

Ontario Health Quality Council to report on our health care system. 

Employees get Family Medical Leave 

The Employment Standards Act, 2000 has been amended to 

entitle employees up to eight weeks of unpaid, job-protected family 

medical leave. An employee may take family medical leave to provide 

care or support to: the employee’s spouse; parent, step-parent, or foster 

parent of the employee; and child, step-child or foster child of the 

employee or employee’s spouse. 

Long-term care strategy unveiled 

Key elements of the Ontario government’s new strategy for 

long-term care reform, announced in May, include: 

• $191 million for the hiring of 2,000 new staff, including 600 

new nursing positions (RNs and RPNs) to ensure all residents 

have 24/7 access to an RN. 

• mandatory reporting of suspected abuse. 

• a Family Council and Resident Council at all long-term care 

facilities to protect residents and act as a watchdog for quality 

of care. 

• whistleblower protection. 

• targeted surprise inspections of homes. 

• third-party advocate for families and residents. 

• a public Web site with information about individual homes and 

their record of care. 

• $340 million for new long-term care beds. 

While ONA welcomes tougher inspection standards, including 

enforcement, we believe the key to better care for residents is mandatory 

staff/resident ratios tied to resident acuity. 

Home and community care get boost 

The Ontario government announced $1.3 billion in funding 

for home care this year, including new monies of $73.2 million targeted 

towards acute home care, end-of-life care and chronic home 

care. Another $29.2 million will fund community support and 

supportive housing services. This investment will improve access 

ONA members talk with Health 

Minister George Smitherman at 

a recent ONA PCM. 

to community support services such as adult day programs, meal 

programs and community transportation. It also means strengthened 

supportive housing services, such as 24-hour access to personal care 

and essential homemaking. In another funding announcement, the 

government said it will allocate $65 million for community mental 

health services in 2004, with plans to add another $120 million over 

the next few years, reaching $583 million by 2007. 

Comprehensive public health action plan 

announced 

Responding to the interim Campbell and final Walker reports 

on the impact of SARS on Ontario’s health care system, the government 

announced a three-year “Operation Health Protection” Action 

Plan. The plan provides: 

• a new Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Agency. 

• greater independence for the Chief Medical Officer of Health. 

• a Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee. 

• more medical and scientific personnel. 

• new surveillance, communications and IT capability. 

Health Minister Smitherman said the provincial share of public 

health funding will grow to 55 per cent in 2005 and to 75 per cent in 

2007. That’s $273 million in provincial funding for public health in 

2004, increasing to $469 million by 2007. 

Funding allocated to hire nursing grads 

The government is investing $50 million to create full-time 

opportunities for new nursing graduates in hospitals and long-term 

care homes and to support experienced nurses to mentor them for up 

to a year. Funding is also designated to nursing schools to purchase 

clinical training simulation equipment, and to find alternate roles for 

late career and injured nurses to allow them to perform less physically 

demanding work that uses their knowledge and skills. 

200 new health & safety inspectors hired 

The Ontario government is hiring 200 new health and safety 

enforcement staff over the next two years, with a goal of preventing 

60,000 workplace injuries a year by 2008. There are currently 230 

inspectors. “We plan to cut workplace injuries by 20 per cent in four 

years,” said Labour Minister Chris Bentley. They will initially visit 

6,000 high-risk workplaces. 


Important 

notice about 

The 2003 dual dues refunds have been issued to eligible members. 

The ONA Dues Department does not have up-to-date contact information 

for the members listed below as of June 30, 2004. 

If you have not received your cheque and are on this list, please 

contact the staff member responsible for dual dues refunds at 

(416) 964-8833 in Toronto or toll-free 1-800-387-5580, ext. 2273. 

dual dues refunds 

Local Name Local Name Local Name Local Name 

1 Alfonso, Joan 

1 Dixon, Maria 

1 Drew, Betty 

1 Kenel, Marie 

1 Marcinkiewicz, Alicja 

1 Relleve, Evangeline 

1 Salgueiro, Manuela 

1 Williams, Kelly 

2 Chatelain, Shelley 

2 Mairs, Shauna 

3 Doherty, Amy 

3 McMahon, Kristy 

3 Montgomery, Ann 

3 Murphy, Colleen 

3 Pearson, Darlene 

3 Rowley, Ann 

3 Scott, Christine 

3 Whitmore, Jennifer 

4 Schafer, Shaunna 

5 Gill, Sandra 

5 Magat, Arlene 

6 Ninala, Nirmala 

6 Norquay, Kristina 

6 Walker-Boyd, Lavern 

7 Bukin, Danuta 

7 Miljours, Chantal 

8 Pinsonneault, Shirley 

9 Horsloy, Elizabeth 

10 Cormier, Barbara 

10 Dionne-Gagnon, Chantal 

10 Elliott, Dale 

10 Genier, Sylvaine 

10 Gervais, Juana 

11 Beaumont, Heather 

13 Mairs, Shauna 

14 Delavalle, Kristin 

14 Jack, Terri 

14 Mccarthy, Samanthe 

14 Michano, Shelly 

14 Sacchetti, Marina 

15 Cameron, Tamara 

15 Weir-Rowsell, Dianne 

16 Kobzar, Oksana 

16 Westcarr-Dzivy, Babbette 

17 Atkinson, Wendy 

17 McGown, Maureen 

17 Vom Scheidt, Kathleen 

17 Zadworna, Grace 

19 Biggs, Christopher 

19 McNeillie, Alicia 

19 Middleton, Marni 

20 Brisson, Michael 

20 Stoakley, Patricia 

21 Connolly, Frances 

21 MacLeod, Cheryl 

21 McLelland, Lindsay 

21 Tomza, Kasia 

24 Goddard, Kamala 

24 Hotton, Lucille 

24 Mansley, Jennifer 

24 Taningco, Sally 

24 Tulloch-Phillips, Claire 

24 Wadsworth, Kimberly 

24 Wong-Loy, Doreen 

25 Dickson, Edward 

25 Spofford, Cindy Lou 

25 Teachout, Deborah 

25 Wright, Nancy 

26 Dickhout, Lynn 

26 Mitchell Witteveen, Jennifer 

26 Solohub, Nancy 

31 Gassira, Michelle 

31 Smith, Angie 

35 Allison, Cynthia 

35 Blondia, Sheila 

35 Desjardins, Christina 

36 Dennis-Rodriguez, Margaret 

36 Floyd-Lass, Julie 

36 Palmer, Jennifer 

36 Stirling, Deanna 

42 Brunet, Patrick 

42 Mulvihill, Julie 

42 Telfort, Patricia 

43 Boateng, Gladys 

43 Bowler, Michelle 

43 D’Alessandro, Lucia 

43 Gardener, Maxine 

43 Gayle, Carole 

43 Jackson, Michelle 

43 Kant, Angela 

43 Mannil, Jacob 

43 McGauran, Debbie 

43 Richardson, Mary Lou 

43 Sanderson, Laurie 

43 Small, Joan 

43 Smith, Kelly-Anne 

43 Spence, Hopelyn 

45 Ross, Sheila 

49 Weckwerth, Wendy 

50 Thompson, Susan 

51 Hanley, Judy 

51 Jacobs, Randie 

51 Konikow, Amber 

51 Lee, Suzanne 

51 Ryan, Beverly 

51 Scott, Tamerra 

54 Adamson, Elizabeth 

54 Armah, Kobina 

54 Fidelino, Arlene 

54 Florius, Polly 

54 McFarlane-Mitchell, Verona 

54 Ogini, Margaret 

54 Steadman, Angela 

55 Bonney, Bev 

55 Fulton, Elizabeth 

55 Gentles, Anneta 

55 Weir-Rowsell, Dianne 

67 Mainse, Christine 

68 Bonas, Cynthia 

68 Coates, Karen 

68 Cummings, Charlotte 

68 Douglas, Avalin 

68 Guerard, Joanne 

68 Hall, Terrilynn 

68 King, Isatu 

68 Lloyd, Claudette 

68 Madhani, Hina 

68 McKenzie-Agard, Lesle 

68 Merraro, Angela 

68 Munoz, Gloria 

68 Myers, Joan 

68 Perada, Shirley 

68 Randall, Elaine 

68 Sana, Melanie 

68 Steer, Audrey 

68 Thompson, Katie (Katherine) 

68 Tuzon, Roderick 

68 Wright, Tricia 

70 Beaton, Amanda 

70 Deruytter, Julie 

70 Fair, Cheryl 

70 Fluit, Jacqueline 

70 Gallo, Elizabeth 

70 Guenther, Brett 

70 MacLean, Alynn 

70 Mudde, Nicole 

70 Olah, Wendy 

70 Vanderlee, Patricia 

71 Carson, Deborah 

71 Mancini, Laurie 

73 Scott, Amy 

73 Veneruzzo, Brenda 

74 Couturier, Diane 

74 Linn, Samantha 

74 Middleboro, Alison 

74 Moore, Deborah 

74 Myler, Elizabeth 

74 Perrin-Hart, Carol 

74 Singh-Vaid, Susan 

74 Toy, Sophia 

74 Watson, Roberta 

75 Dostal, Julie 

75 Smith, Jamie 

75 Vicentic, Dusica 

25

Important notice about dual dues refunds 

Local Name Local Name Local Name Local Name 

80 Bartley, Kimberley 

80 Deinla, Belinda Jane 

80 Hickling, Joanne 

80 Jack, Denise 

80 Kadri, Jan 

80 Klein, Meghan 

80 Leslie, Sybil 

80 Mariappen, Debra 

80 McIntosh, Camarsh 

80 Morrison, Michelle 

80 Moynan, Stacey 

80 Opoku, Theresa 

80 Oussova, Inna 

80 Phillips, Valrie 

80 Samuel, Maria 

80 Smart, Jane 

80 Strachan, Jacqueline 

81 Brochu, Michael 

81 Cameron, Lisa 

81 Richardson, Gail 

81 Young, Jodi 

82 Baruwa, Hajia 

82 Cassidy, Melanie 

82 Cross, Helen 

82 Gaynor, Carole 

82 Guirey, Julie 

82 Mangaliman, Joselia 

82 Schmider, Mary 

82 Tambong, Maria Leonora 

82 Tessier, Line 

82 Yoon, Hannah 

83 Alexandre, Sandra 

83 Arezina, Milan 

83 Avery, Leslee 

83 Bechamp Dube, Andrea 

83 Bedard, Nathalie 

83 Bellows, Michele 

83 Caswell, Peggy 

83 Garfinkiel, Josette 

83 Garnier, Marie-Enide 

83 Hallahan, Michelle 

83 Jean-Baptiste, Rosemene 

83 Knight, Tammy 

83 Lauzon, Barbara 

83 Lowe, Paula-Ann 

83 Makarenko, Laurie 

83 McPhail, Kelly 

83 Mongeau, Lucie 

83 Pilon, Pierrette 

83 Pitt, Kenlyn 

83 Shearer, Rose 

83 Singh-Vaid, Susan 

83 Sloan, Nancy 

83 Soriano, Elizabeth 

83 Telfort, Patricia 

83 Todd, Natasha 

83 Trottier, Mary 

83 VanDenOetelaar, Andrea 

84 Bowes, Debbi 

84 Bueya, Samuel 

84 Devries, Brenda 

84 Epstein, Colleen 

84 Kewais, Barbara 

84 Pietarinen, Donna 

84 Pigeon, Angela 

84 Punzalan, Moises 

92 Jowett, Scott 

92 Keane, Allison 

92 Medwid, Gwen 

92 Miller, Shawnee 

92 Neamtu, Doreen 

95 Acebedo, Eligio 

95 Minkkinen, Marita 

95 Temario, Victoria 

95 Widorowska, Krystyna 

96 Abeleda, Maria 

96 Dabbs, Jayne 

96 Daigneault, Ronald 

96 Devega, Christian 

96 Espanol, Gay 

96 Hall, Annabell 

96 Kane, Mabel 

96 Lewis, Anthony 

96 Tascione, Palmerino 

96 Tyszko, Lucyna 

97 Andric, Anna 

97 Bah, Isatu 

97 Brechin, Laurie 

97 Ceres, Edna 

97 Elefano, Aurora 

97 Frei, Santina 

97 Gilbert, Julie 

97 Gordon, Monica 

97 Kennedy, Kyoko 

97 Nitu, Carmen 

97 Roberts, Julia 

97 Salazar, Apolonia 

97 Simpson, Sondra 

97 Wiseman, Jennifer 

97 Yue, Gaby 

100 Bradley, Patricia 

100 Pomerleau, Julie Alicia 

100 Vandermeersch, Catherine 

105 Bart, Eleanor 

105 Montague, Brenda 

111 Asido, Lilibeth 

111 Bergstrom, William 

111 Browne-Bynoe, Claudia 

111 Francis, Joseph 

111 Harris, Karen 

111 Lange, Helga 

111 Maitland, Margaret (Anne) 

111 McGann, Nadine 

111 Namunane, Samali 

111 Neblette-Gordon, Audrey 

111 Pulickeel, Margaret 

111 Tavernier, Sheryl 

111 Thomson, Elizabeth Anne 

111 Williams, Lystra 

115 Amoa-Williams, Ama 

115 Bacon, Shannon 

115 Dos Santos, Sylvia 

115 Junatas, Laarni 

115 Orzales, Cristina 

115 Powell, Ann-Marie 

115 Romero, Elizabeth 

115 Tavernier, Sheryl 

115 Theriault, Kathryn 

124 Samuelson, Greg 

125 Alleyne, Annmarie 

125 Cook, Wendy 

125 Steele, Sybelle 

134 Dumas, Erica 

134 Evans, Martina 

134 Renaud, Angela 

134 Scrimgeour, Martha 

137 Boileau, Tawnya 

137 Hayes, Rosemary 

137 MacCosham, Paula 

139 Breen, Dawn 

139 Dabrowski, Agata 

139 Inglis, Beverley 

139 Levesque, Elaine 

139 Murko, Rhonda 

214 Allen, Susan 

214 Babisova, Marcela 

214 Bellinger, Jennifer 

214 Bethune, Jennifer 

214 Bright, Noah 

214 Griffith, Joyce 

214 Mason, Lynanne 

Visit: www.ona.org 

New Bargaining Update page on 

Members-only section on the ONA Web site 

For the duration of bargaining in 2004, a new section, found on the home page of the 

Members’ Section, has been established. “Bargaining Update 2004” will make the most 

current information available to members. 

Remember – all you need is your ONA ID number and your family name 

(as it appears on your membership card) to access the ONA Members’ site. 


AWARDS AND DECISIONS SUMMARY 

Rights Awards 

Employer must give 

Occupation Health file to 

ONA 

ONA & North York General Hospital 

(Gray, March 8, 2004) 

ONA was investigating a grievance 

relating to the employer’s 

failure to provide modified work 

to a member. In response to a 

request from ONA, the employer 

refused to provide a copy of the 

member’s occupational health file 

to the union, unless the member 

also authorized its release to 

Human Resources. The arbitration 

board allowed the grievance. 

It found that the employer placed 

the condition on the file’s release 

because it thought that the 

union would file a grievance on 

the member’s behalf. This was a 

breach of Article 3.01, which prohibits 

discrimination or interference 

by reason of exercising her 

or his rights under the collective 

agreement. 

Another victory in the 

layoff vs assignment 

debate 

ONA & Scarborough General 

Hospital 

(Surdykowski, March 19, 2004) 

This is the fourth in a recent series 

of cases in which nurses have 

been removed from their positions 

(or the positions have been 

eliminated), and the employer 

has unilaterally assigned nurses 

to a new position (or given them 

a limited number of vacant positions 

from which to choose). In 

two previous cases, including 

one at Centre for Addiction and 

Mental Health (CAMH), the 

arbitrator said the employer had 

the right to do this. This award 

is now the second one that ONA 

has won; the arbitrator said the 

nurses were entitled to all the 

options of a laid-off employee. 

ONA has applied for judicial 

review of the CAMH decision; in 

the meantime, we continue to file 

grievances and rely upon awards 

such as this one. 

Right to bank premium 

time off 

ONA & Red Lake Margaret 

Cochenour Memorial Hospital 

(Slotnick, May 3, 2004) 

This grievance in a hospital 

allied Bargaining Unit involved 

language identical to the central 

hospital agreement Provision 

14.09, which provides the right 

to obtain premium payment or 

bank time off at 1½- time rate, 

where “an employee has worked 

and accumulated approved 

hours for which she or he is 

entitled to be paid premium 

pay…” The employer, relying 

upon a 1990 Montfort decision, 

argued that this did not apply 

to the non-worked portion of 

a four-hour minimum call back 

under Article 14.06. This arbitrator 

disagreed and allowed 

the grievance: employees have 

a choice between money and 

time off for all hours for which 

they are eligible for premium pay 

(with the specified exception of 

hours relating to work on paid 

holidays). 

Preliminary decision: 

insurance claim can be 

grieved 

ONA & Algoma CCAC 

(Rose, May 27, 2004) 

A member’s claim for medical 

emergency travel insurance 

benefits had been denied by the 

insurer and subsequently grieved. 

The employer argued the grievance 

was inarbitrable and that 

its only obligation was to pay the 

insurance premiums. The arbitrator 

dismissed the employer’s 

preliminary objection and ruled 

the grievance can be heard on its 

merits. The fact that the collective 

agreement identified the plan and 

provides that benefits cannot be 

reduced without the consent of 

the parties, means the insurance 

plan is incorporated into the 

collective agreement and can be 

grieved. 

Labour Board Decisions 

Mixed result on premium 

payments 

ONA & Headwaters Health Care 

Centre 

(Surdykowski, June 11, 2004) 

A nurse called in from standby 

is entitled to premium pay 

under Article 14.06. Is she also 

entitled to receive shift premium 

and weekend premium where 

applicable? On the positive side, 

the arbitrator ruled this was not 

pyramiding and that such a nurse 

should also be paid her weekend 

premium. However, he also ruled 

she should not be paid shift premium, 

even at straight time, since 

the collective agreement sets out 

that it “does not form part of the 

nurses’ straight time hourly rate.” 

ONA intends to continue filing 

grievances in appropriate cases, 

despite this award. 

Applicant vs. ONA (Vice-chair Patrick Kelly, March 121, 2004) 

The applicant, a part-time nurse, was improperly laid off for a defined 

period, in somewhat complicated circumstances. She grieved and the 

case proceeded. ONA tried mediation, which did not produce an 

amount of money acceptable to the grievor. In a decision, the arbitrator 

found the employer had violated the collective agreement. The applicant 

still would not settle on an amount and the case was brought 

back before the arbitrator to deal with compensation. ONA negotiated 

a much improved offer from the employer, but the applicant held out 

for four times as much. In the end, ONA accepted the employer’s offer 

over the applicant’s objection and it was ordered by the arbitrator. The 

applicant filed a duty of fair representation complaint against ONA, 

alleging ONA had conspired with the employer. On March 12, 2004, 

the OLRB dismissed the conspiracy allegations and the complaint. 

ONA had expended “considerable time, effort and resources on the applicant’s 

grievance… In all the circumstances, the union cannot be faulted for 

declining to tempt fate by continuing to press for far more than it thought it 

could reasonably obtain… In reaching the settlement, the Association acted 

responsibly and prudently.” 

27

AWARDS AND DECISIONS SUMMARY 

LTD internal 

carrier appeals 

Benefits reinstated on eve 

of arbitration 

Hospital in South District 

(March 25, 2004) 

The nurse had received Long- 

Term Disability (LTD) benefits 

for six years for her severe latex 

allergy with urticaria and asthma, 

as well as other complications. 

She had provided annual 

medical updates provided by 

her specialist, an immunologist. 

In 2000, a new claims manager 

sent forms to her family doctor, 

not her specialist, who wrongly 

responded the nurse could 

return to work in a latex-free 

environment. On this basis, the 

insurer, Maritime Life, terminated 

her LTD benefits. ONA 

submitted an appeal with a letter 

from the specialist, which indicated 

the nurse could return to 

work on a trial basis if certain 

conditions were met, but failed 

to indicate it would be almost 

impossible for the conditions to 

be met. The appeal was denied. 

In preparation for the arbitration 

hearing, the specialist confirmed 

the difficulty of accommodating 

the member and the insurer was 

convinced to re-instate monthly 

benefits retroactive to 2000, with 

interest. 

Again – the importance of 

proper documentation 

Hospital in West District 

(April 23, 2004) 

The nurse initially ceased work 

and was hospitalized with a 

bipolar event. After discharge 

from hospital, she was given 

care by her general practitioner, 

psychiatrist, community mental 

health home care services and the 

Employee Assistance Program 

(EAP). Her initial LTD application 

was denied; she had not 

included documentation proving 

her attendance at therapy with 

appropriate mental health professionals. 

This lack was cured 

in the LTD appeal, and benefits 

were approved retroactively for 

total disability during the “own 

occupation” phase. The member 

has successfully returned to work 

following a four-month graduated 

return-to-work. 

Member survey of ONA Vision magazine 

We heard you … 

A story on what members told us in the “What is your 

opinion” ONA Vision survey will appear in the next 

issue. Dozens of members took the time to give us 

their views about the new Vision magazine – what 

you liked, what you didn’t like, how often should 

we publish? do you regularly read the columns? 

28 

Full details in the fall issue of ONA Vision. 

WSIB decisions 

Medical authorization 

supports claim for lost 

time 

Hospital in South District 

(June 3, 2004) 

On July 23, 2003, the member 

tripped over an object in a patient’s 

room, injuring her groin area. 

From July 30, 2003 to September 

8, 2003, she was unable to work. 

She returned to modified work 

reduced hours from September 8, 

2003 to December 8, 2003. WSIB 

denied her benefits, because in 

its opinion, her lost time was 

not authorized. The decision to 

not pay benefits was overturned 

after we submitted evidence the 

worker did see her doctor on July 

29, 2003 and was authorized to 

be off. 

Worker unable to perform 

Modified Work 

Health Centre in South District 

(May 17, 2004) 

The member was unable to perform 

modified work due to a 

low back injury, depression and 

anxiety, all resulting from the 

workplace injury. She was denied 

full loss of earnings benefits 

because WSIB believed she could 

do modified work. On appeal, 

medical reports obtained from the 

worker’s doctor and psychiatrist 

were submitted and supported the 

relationship of her injury to her 

work. The WSIB granted entitlement 

to full loss of earnings and 

a permanent impairment for her 

psychological condition. 

WSIB agrees to pay 

ongoing benefits and a 

permanent impairment 

Nursing Home in South District 

(April 22, 2004) 

The member, on her first appeal, 

was granted benefits for mental 

stress from September 27, 1995 

to May 1997. The issue of ongoing 

benefits and a permanent impairment, 

however, were referred back 

to the adjudicator. On appeal, we 

submitted evidence from the 

worker’s psychiatrist confirming 

she could only work three days 

per week. The WSIB accepted 

this restriction and the member 

received all remaining loss of 

earnings and a Future Economic 

Loss award. 

Ongoing benefits allowed 

after WSIB accepts 

entitlement for Post- 

Traumatic Stress Disorder 

(PTSD) 

Health Center in South District 

(May 27, 2004) 

After submitting an Intent to 

Appeal, the WSIB overturned 

its decision to deny the member 

entitlement to PTSD and 

to pay full ongoing benefits, 

which resulted from a workplace 

assault. The member was 

on numerous medications and 

the physician supported she was 

unable to work.

Membres de l’AIIO – 

Comment participer aux équipes de 

projets et aux groupes de discussion 

Formulaire d’expression d’intérêt (membres) 

Équipes de projets spéciaux/groupes de discussion 

Selon la rétroaction des membres, nous avons mis au point un 

processus vous permettant d’exprimer votre intérêt à participer aux 

équipes de projets spéciaux et groupes de discussion de l’AIIO. 

Ceci donne la chance de vous impliquer dans les décisions et 

processus de l’AIIO. Veuillez remplir le formulaire et le renvoyer à : 

Organizational Learning, 85, rue Grenville, bureau 400 

Toronto (Ontario) M5S 3A2 - Télécopieur : 416 964-8864 

Note : Le Formulaire d’expression d’intérêt n’est valable que 

jusqu’au 31 décembre de l’année où il est présenté. 

Domaine d’intérêt n Provincial n Local 

n Droits de la personne/équité n Relations de travail 

n Santé et sécurité 

n Éducation 

n Finance 

n Action politique 

n Exercice professionnel 

Besoin d’une personne par région 

n Vision / Semaine des soins infirmiers n Élections 

n Comité de discipline de la politique 16.16 

n Équipe de consultation LEAP 

Expliquez brièvement les raisons pour lesquelles vous êtes 

intéressée à participer à une équipe de projet spécial ou à un 

groupe de discussion 

ONA Members – 

How to get involved with project 

teams and focus groups 

Expression of Interest Form (Members) 

Ad Hoc Project Teams/Focus Groups 

Based on membership feedback, we have developed a process that 

will enable you to express your interest in serving on ONA ad hoc 

project teams or focus groups. This provides an opportunity for 

you to be involved in ONA decisions and processes. Please 

complete the form and return it to: 

Organizational Learning, 85 Grenville Street, Suite 400 

Toronto, ON M5S 3A2 - Fax: (416) 964-8864 

Note: The Expression of Interest form is only valid until 

December 31 st of the year submitted. 

Area of Interest Provincial or Local 

n Human Rights/Equity 

n Labour Relations 

n Health and Safety 

n Education 

n Finance 

n Political Action 

n Professional Practice 

Need one person per region 

n Vision/Nursing Week 

n Policy 16.16 Discipline Panel 

n Elections 

n LEAP Advisory 

Please provide a brief statement telling us why you are 

interested in serving on an ad hoc project team or getting 

involved in a focus group 

Date de présentation : 

Région : Local : Unité de négociation : 

Nom : 

Adresse : 

Ville : Province : ON Code postal : 

Tél. : (Bureau) 

(Domicile) 

Secteur : n Hôpital n Foyers n Communautaire n CASC 

n Santé publique n VON/SEN n (Autre) 

n Professionnels paramédicaux 

Statut : n Plein temps n Temps partiel 

Domaine d’exercice actuel : 

Date Submitted: 

Region: Local: Bargaining Unit: 

Name: 

Address: 

City: 

Province: ON Postal Code: 

Phone: (Bus.) 

(H.) 

Sector: n Hospital n Homes n Community n CCAC 

n Public Health n VON/SEN n (Other) n Allied 

Status: n Full-Time n Part-Time 

Current Area(s) of Practice: 

Expérience/antécédents à l’AIIO : 

ONA Experience/Background: 

: 


ONA RETIREES 

REGION 2 

Local 105 

Mary Elizabeth 

Knight 

REGION 3 

Local 16 

Diane English 

Lucia Chan 

Local 24 

Nina Nanan 

Beverly Bishop 

Jean Williams 

Ma. Esperanza 

Lavina 

Marykutty Mani 

Donna Taylor 

Barbara Stuart 

Su-Yean Choi 

Susan Gillman 

Ruth MacCharles 

Mary Langevine 

Local 96 

Veronika Cowie 

Aileen Gupta 

Celine Hanrahan 

Digna Palaganas 

Catherine Perry 

Marion Reeves 

Angela Seedanee 

Mary Vivera 

Daisy Wong 

REGION 4 

Local 7 

Marina Torrelli 

Elizabeth Gurney 

Dora Kuilboer 

Dana’s still on the job! 

Local 71 

Mary Bering 

Elizabeth Ferguson 

Nelly Guzman-Payer 

Joan Kerr 

Katherine Horton 

Christine McCombe 

Cheryl Peters 

REGION 5 

Local 36 

Carol Tabor 

Julia Hartviksen 

In the Retirees’ Section of the last issue of ONA Vision, we incorrectly 

included Dana Penfound in our list of recently retired ONA 

members. Penfound is still an active member of ONA and is the 

Bargaining Unit President for ONA members at Local 15, the North 

Wellington Health Care Corp. Our apologies! 

ONA Members… we want to hear your story! 

Have you had a recent success 

in your bargaining unit? Is there 

one member of your Local who 

deserves special mention? Did 

you hold a particularly successful 

Local event? Do you 

have photographs? 

Let us know. 

If you have a story to tell us – give 

us some details and a phone number 

(including the best time to reach you) 

and we will follow up. Please send 

information items and digital photos (or 

colour prints), for consideration for the 

ONA Web site, Vision magazine or the 

Front Lines newsletter, to ONA’s PR 

Team. 

Write to us: 

ONA Public Relations Team 

85 Grenville Street, 4th Floor, 

Toronto Ontario M5S 3A2 

E-mail us at onamail@mail.ona.org 

FAX us – our number is 416-964-8891 

Hamilton retiree honoured 

ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, places a retiree pin on the 

lapel of Georgina Murphy, RN, a former ONA rep for 25 years, during 

a Nursing Week luncheon held in May at ONA Local 75, St. Joseph’s 

Hospital, Hamilton. 

Bill Walsh, 

ONA 

trailblazer 

Long-time union 

consultant and 

labour activist 

Bill Walsh, who 

was instrumental in the formation 

of ONA as the union for nurses in 

Ontario, passed away in Toronto on 

March 19, 2004 at the age of 93. 

Walsh worked with ONA from its 

inception in 1973 as a labour consultant 

and with its predecessor, 

the Registered Nurses Association of 

Ontario. 

Walsh served as ONA’s nominee 

on hundreds of interest arbitration 

cases in the early 1970s, leading to 

significant salary increases for our 

members. He was also founder of 

Union Consulting Services, which 

worked with ONA on labour matters 

for several decades. 

ONA Chief Executive Officer Lesley 

Bell, RN, attended Walsh’s funeral in 

Toronto, and the eulogy was delivered 

by Donald Mayne, a long-time 

ONA nominee. 

30

Relax, you’re covered. 

Johnson — Always accessible, we’re on call for you. 

Membership 

Voluntary 

Benefits 

ONA Benefit Program 

• Life insurance 

PREFERRED SERVICE 

HOME-AUTO PLAN 

EXTRA ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS, FOR PREFERRED POLICYHOLDERS 

With its complete and worry-free coverage, the 

Preferred Service Home-Auto Plan was designed 

with health care providers in mind. 

Just ask any ONA Member who has one of the 

14,000+ PS Plan policies. 

Interest-free monthly payments, online access and 

special discounts are available to ONA Members. 

This Plan is also available to 50+ ONA Friends and 

Family (they must mention their ONA relationship 

when requesting a quote). 

www.johnson.ca or 1.800.563.0677 

• Long-term disability 

• Accidental death & 

dismemberment 

• Extended health care, 

semi-private hospital, 

travel and dental care 

• Retiree coverage 

For information on how 

to purchase benefits, 

contact the ONA 

Program Administrator: 

Johnson Inc. 

1595 16th Avenue, Suite 600 

Richmond Hill ON L4B 3S5 

(905) 764-4884 (local) 

1-800-461-4597 (toll-free) 

www.johnson.ca 


ONTARIO NURSES’ ASSOCIATION 

BIENNIAL CONVENTION 2004 + 

HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY CAUCUS 

AND EDUCATION WORKSHOPS 

Human Rights & Equity Caucus Meeting Monday, November 22 

Biennial Convention Tuesday through Thursday, November 23 - 25 

NEW - Education Workshops Friday, November 26* 

Go to www.ona.org, Members’ Section for more information 

* Registration forms for the Biennial Education Workshops on 

November 26 th will be sent out to Bargaining Unit Presidents and 

Local Coordinators in September. 

ONTARIO NURSES’ ASSOCIATION 

Suite 400, 85 Grenville Street 

Toronto ON M5S 3A2 

Canadian 32Publicaton VISION, Mail SUMMER Sales Agreement 2004 No. 40069108 

C 

Produced by union labour.

Excessive workload: - Ontario Nurses' Association

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